Roster
Absent
Session Overview
The experience as told by Kora Okabark
After the interment of the old burgomaster, the party lingers a while to ask some questions of Father Donavich. He reveals that Gertuda was indeed Doru’s betrothed, which explains why her name was the last word the shell of his son spoke. He also tells them that Alanic Rey was the person who instigated the march on the castle, and that, like the party, Alanic was an outlander who had only shortly before arrived in the lands. He warns the party against trying the same.
The party return to the Burgomaster’s house, where they start to ready themselves for the journey to Vallaki. Ismark tells them that Ireena appears to have gone out, and that she has been gone for many hours; concerned for her safety (and not a little worried that she may have changed her mind, or possibly been taken by Strahd in the gloom) the party goes to look for her, apart from Lord Hel Forge who takes to his bed for the remainder of the session. Ismark gives them directions to a hill on the north side of the village, where they go first.
When they approach the hill, they observe Ireena by the foot of a tree, appearing to be digging up something from the ground. Intrigued, suspicious and not wishing to disturb her, the party watches for a while until they can see that it is a small box, which she opens to look through the contents. The party approach her with caution at this point, so as not to startle her, but she seems pleasantly surprised to see them.
She shares the contents of the little box with her and reveals that she is not in fact Ismark’s sister, but a foundling who was taken in by the family. When she was found, the contents of the box were on her. They include a silver necklace with a charm, A beautiful handkerchief, a pressed Aster flower and an ancient bracelet that contains precious moonstone and lapis lazuli, and the inscription “Tatiana, may you find your path and light in the darkest places”. Ireena gives all the items to the party as thanks for accompanying her to Vallaki, but they refuse the bracelet as it is clearly a family heirloom that belongs to her. They distribute the items amongst themselves (see Loot list).
At the hummock, Ireena Kolyanovich shares a map with them which the party set about copying as well or as badly as they know how to. Below is Kora’s version. Although it looks like it should be possible to walk to the West Gate to Vallaki via Tser Pool, Ireena tells them that this is an optical illusion, and that the path from Tser Pool simply runs to Tser Falls on the west side of the bridge, running underneath the bridge instead. Hence, the only way to reach both Vallaki and Tser Pool is to return to the main road the way the party came after visiting Madam Eva.
Ireena joins the party.
After some further preparations and a refusal to buy anything in the sad but expensive shop, the party sets off. They follow the muddy road towards Vallaki. A short way outside the village, they encounter two scouts returning to Barovia. They tell them of their unsuccessful quest to find the Lanston Family, two adults and two children that have gone missing. The party agrees to look for them on their travels.
The light drizzle of the morning turns to mist as the party reaches the crossroads where the path to Tser Pool starts. With a great feeling of discomfort they watch a carriage pull up at the crossroads, right next to a small graveyard. The carriage is pulled by two horses that look unnatural in an undead kind of way, and the driver does not look much better. The party huddle together as a tall, pale, and extremely well dressed man emerges from the carriage, who introduces himself to the party as the infamous Count Strahd von Zarovich.
Strahd taunts the party in a most disconcerting and threatening manner. He talks about Ireena as his property, and makes it clear that he knows every single party member by name, as well as some of their history. Eventually, after a number of threats and insinuations, he settles on referring to the party as children, and ensures them he will be keeping an eye on them. Then he leaves on the road towards Tser Pool and his castle, followed by a number of dire wolves who thankfully ignore the party.
After calming down a bit, the party carries on in the same direction, following the narrowing path into the woods. After a while they hear the distress call of a bird, which turns out to be the same raven with the blue wing tips that the party had encountered in Barovia. The bird is damaged, but as they go and help it a weird monster appears that can only be described as a school project gone wrong. It is in the shape of a monstrous bird, but constructed of wood and twigs and debris. There are a large number of tiny versions of these monsters that accompany it, each firing off little silvery arrows or shards that penetrate skin and are rather nasty. The poor bird is covered in them and is faring rather poorly, not helped by Kora’s awful and botched attempts at first aid. Eventually she manages to remove the shards from the creature who explains that she was only in the woods to look for some food.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party is battling the constructs, and after many rounds of furious combat manages to defeat the last tiny shard-shooting monstrosity. Nothing is left of them but sticks and rubbish after the battle. The Raven, called Bluewing, agrees to join the party as she does not wish to be alone in these woods anymore.
Eventually the party make it to Tser Pool. This is a bright encampment of several tents and travellers’ carts, with a large camp fire surrounded by its residents who are playing music and making merry, and at the back a very large tent belonging to the mysterious Madam Eva. Although Gumshal attempts to stay at the campfire and not go anywhere near the nonsense and wyrdness that is the Seeress’ divinations, she insists that she will not engage with the party until all are present. Reluctantly, the barbarian joins the other members at the tent.
Once all are there, Madam Eva welcomes them all and particularly Bluewing, and she discloses that her own raven has gone missing after flying away. The party agrees to keep an eye out for him, and she asks them to pass on the message that she hopes he is well.
Then the divination begins. Connecting with the spirits, she calls out to the party to beware the lone servant of darkness looking for secrets, and warns them not to reveal what they know lest they incur the wrath of the master.
The party don’t really know what it all means, but they nod sagely anyway.
Next, she reads the cards, saying she will tell each reading only once. The cards she draws are as follows:
- The 9 of Glyphs: The Traitor. It represents the ancient foe and old house. The wandering soul will lead the party to him.
- The 5 of Swords: The Myrmidon. Look for the den of wolves in the mountains overlooking the lakes. The treasure belongs to the Mother Night.
- The 8 of Glyphs: The Bishop. There is a weapon that will defeat the Devil beyond a set of amber doors in a pile of treasure.
- The fourth card is the one who will help: The Mists. A Vistana wanders Saint Markovia near the mists.
- The fifth card is the Enemy: The Marionette. Look to great heights, at the beating heart of the castle. He waits nearby.
Once again, the party nod and smile. As far as they know, they know nothing.