The Opening
General Summary
Ireena has been out of Castle Ravenloft for a few days (?), and has been searching for Ismark. Following rumors, she made her way to the Durst House a few miles outside of the East Gate. Unable to enter, she has been sitting on the steps of the house, Edgily Pouting.
Thera is the first outsider to arrive, and immediately asks Ireena if the Mockingcat is hers. Next to show up is Phi, who just kind of ethereally drifts around. Next is Agueda, who is wandering after seeing her "mother" in Vallaki and fleeing. Ireena assumes everyone is working for Strahd, and Agueda assumes everyone is working for her "mother." Ireena introduces the party to Strahd, and informs the outsiders that they are trapped in Barovia for eternity.
Ireena and Agueda both refuse to give their names. After a joke about illiteracy, Thera dubs Ireena "Read," and attempts to dub Agueda as "Shadowstorm," but she refuses the moniker.
After the party has stood on the stoop of the house for a while, two children emerge from the house, asking if the group is the "guests" their mother promised would come and help her with the monster in the basement. The older girl, Rose, is precocious and curious, and the younger boy, Thorn, is crying. Rose informs Ireena that there is someone else inside, a young man who might be Ismark. She invites the party inside. They discover a well-built, but poorly kept house of obviously noble folk who are clinging to the idea of their wealth.
The party explores the first and second floors of the house thoroughly. Agueda takes a hand crossbow from the hunting den, leaving a heavy crossbow and light crossbow in the cabinet. Phi takes a badly tuned harp from the conservatory. Thera takes a spear from one of the suits of armor on the second floor. They discover the secret room in the library. Thera finds a letter from Strahd, but is uninterested. She passes the note to Ireena, who immediately burns it upon recognizing Strahd's handwriting. Agueda takes a deed to the house, a deed to a windmill, the Dursts' will, and three spell scrolls (bless, protection from poison, and spiritual weapon.)
The party makes it to the third floor, and activates the animated armor. Thera attempts to figure out how to deactivate, but it is so simple that there is one solution: beat it to death. Ireena pulls off a very cool stunt, and Thera questions how such feats of physics-defying acrobatics are possible.
Rewards Granted
3 spell scrolls, 1 hand crossbow, 1 harp, 1 spear
Character(s) interacted with
Rose and Thorn