Session 1

General Summary

The Dream

The campaign begins at the characters recall a dream that has been haunting each of them during their travels, involving a woman, a shadow, and a castle in a land that was unfamiliar to everyone.

A mournful wind cuts through the branches of a dark wood. The black silhouette of a raven passes through the night sky, surveying the desolate landscape. Into its eye, the harvest moon looms over a castle perched in its resting place above the valley. A woman flees through empty stone corridors. A white flash of a wedding gown streaks across the gothic structure. From down the hall, a shadow steps into view, following the path she has taken from a distance. She turns a corner, only to have nowhere to go. As the shadow bears closer, panic can be seen painted across her face. Time no longer holds meaning to him. The shadow will catch her. It does not matter when. The stalking pursuit will serve as their macabre courtship.

Her bright auburn hair streams like a banner as elaborate braids fall away into a scarlet mess. She breathes in. Footsteps echo below. She breathes out. There can be no thought; it may hear her. Another life, no longer her reality.

For a second, moonlight blinds her as she stumbles to a halt. The imposing doors to the overlook almost beckon to her as she looks upon the sinister marquetry. Her body clenches. Don’t think, she remembers. She hears the shadow in his mind. It's too late.

It is infinitely fast, but she is resolved. She knows it will not steal her soul as it has taken everything else. This is the moment of her victory; though she knows not its repercussions. She feels the brush of the shadow on the back of her neck as she flings herself over the marble balcony.

Turning as she falls, she glimpses upon the visage of the shadow. A pale face bleached white by the moon stares back at her. She is surprised by the depth of his grief on his face as wind whips through her ears. She had expected rage. She had stolen back her fate from him. Then he is gone as the bloodstained lace of her wedding dress plumes around her. Everything is white and red as the air rushes past and, then, everything is black.

And the castle looms large as sin in the center of the valley, like a spider in its web… waiting. As the castle departs from view, the scene is revealed to be the face of an ornate vellum card held by two boney fingers. As it flips, the celestial bodies that decorate the back shimmer within the darkness as the voice of an old woman rings out. "I wonder what fate might have in store…"

Though the dream never returned, bits and pieces would reappear from time to time.

Welcome to Daggerford

Ahrieya, a panicked and curious elf strode into Daggerford midday, moving through the quant town before making her way towards the keep before being stopped by guards. Upon letting them know that she was here at the behest of Lady Morwen, the Duchess of Daggerford, she was escorted to the gates, where an impatient human named Ariadne was waiting to be received. Brief introductions were had before the guard escorted the two women to where others who have inquired about the job are currently waiting. Moving through the ornate walls and halls of the keep, they reached a reception area just before the Lady's office chambers. Within the room, a tiefling with a rather aloof disposition was smoking near one of the windows. Upon realizing, the tiefling immediately put out the cigarette, removed the evidence, and introduced himself as Idris. More brief introduction were had, before the three were welcomed into Lady Morwen's chambers where an interesting discussion was being had as to who had ownership of a horse, a fight, and an apparent biting incident that followed their arrival. Relieved that more people had answered her summons, she immediately welcomed the newcomers in, where the two at her desk introduced themselves as Gio and Nova.
After names were exchanged, Lady Morwen explained the situation, and what she wanted the five of them to do by the end of the night.

"Some time ago, a large caravan made their camp outside of Daggerford. They seemed harmless at first, a nuisance if anything; making excessive noise and unsanctioned bonfires without permittance. However, as of late they have begun harassing the townsfolk; demanding money and wine lest they be hexed if they refuse. Two days ago, I sent some of my personal guards to try and scare them off with a…bit of a show of force. When they returned, the caravan was still firmly planted outside my walls, and my guards seemed hazy and sympathetic to the visitors, gibbering about nonsense with a glaze over their eyes. An armed conflict is not the solution I strive for. The people need to know I have the capacity for compassion, but I will send a thorough message if they are allowed to continue to torment my people. Therefore, each of you must have your wits about you as I need you to deliver a message to them for me. If they don’t leave before dawn, I will burn their wagons to the ground."

She explained that they would be receiving 50 gold each upon the removal of the wagons and their people. The newly formed party asked about the happenings with the mist that they had heard about. Lady Morwen stated she did not keep track of the comings and goings of the mist, though it would show up from time to time around the caravan. After all, its just mist, right? Ariadne let the duchess know that lycanthropy has been associated with the mists, at least that's what she has heard. Lady Morwen thanked her for the information, and with some prodding, was convinced to mark the happenings of the mist for Ahrieya's interest. Though, curious about the state of the guards, Gio and Ahrieya wanted to question the two who seemed to have some magical effect brought upon them. Arriving at the barracks, the guards Frederick and Arthur began to be questioned by the group. Upon finding that they were nervous in the presence of their 'boss', Ahrieya asked for some privacy before Lady Morwen left the room allowing the guards to answer freely. The party learned...

The people at the wagons were quite friendly, contrary to the information they were given.

There were around 12 people there.

The older man there constantly told stories, and was the one who said some weird gibberish and waved his hand to make the two guards more friendly towards them after asking for them to leave.

The people seemed to be waiting there for something, though of what they are not sure.

After questioning, Lady Morwen invited them to stay for a meal before leaving, to which they were given some lovely pheasant, roasted potatoes and carrots. Everyone took this time to understand the strength and weaknesses of everyone at the table, and try to get a game plan before moving in. Gio is a carrot farmer and has experience with mercenary work, Ahrieya likes to read and investigate things, Ariadne is still getting use to some of her magic, Idris can talk and play music, and Nova like fight. The consensus for a plan seemed to be on going in nice, trying to talk, and if that didn't work, try a more direct and physical approach (much to Nova's approval).
Meal concluded, the group ended up making their way to the caravan outside the town. When getting close, Ahrieya booked it to some corner behind a wagon while the rest of the party, headed by Ariadne and Idris, approached the camp. As they neared the bonfire, the residents of the camp seemed undisturbed by the sudden introduction of new arrivals. Questioning why this was as it was, the brief discussion was cut short by a jubilant young man with dark skin and black hair welcoming the 'outsiders' to their camp. They were immediately regarded as friends and were offered wine. Introducing himself as Ratka, he called for the elder of the caravan and his father, Stanimir, to welcome the new guests.
As the old man approached, pale of skin and hair alike, he instantly seemed to recognize everyone's face (at least everyone who was there). He mentioned that they would come to him in visions granted to him by Madam Eva, someone whom he seems to regard as his leader.

Ah, yes, I’ve seen your faces before. They pervade my waking dreams; visions from my leader. Madam Eva spoke of ones such as yourself, though I knew not when we were to cross paths. My name is Stanimir. Come, sit, and rejoice, for today, fate has smiled upon us all!

The old man exclaimed he was waiting for them, or at least people like them, and offered to take them to Barovia, back to Madam Eva; the one who sent them to Daggerford. They've only been in Daggerford for a short while waiting, and Stanimir seemed particularly exuberant to finally have found everyone. The party moved slightly away from the camp to discuss the peculiarity of the entire situation, and how uneased they were that this old man knew their faces. A brief discussion of the mist was had, where it was revealed that it was never harmful to the people of the caravan, now known as Vistani. Idris skillfully persuaded Stanimir to pack up the caravan and move before dawn; actually now would be better lets do now. The Vistani agreed, given that the party comes with them to Barovia.

As Ahrieya and Gio went back to receive payment for the successful relocation (though neglecting to mention THEY were the reason the Vistani were waiting there), Nova, Ariadne, and Idris all helped the Vistani pack up their camp and move to a safer location away from the town. Nova was questioned as to where she was from, where Ratka (now known as Rat-Cat) said she did not look like she was from a place like that. Insulted, she began bringing draft horses to the wagons despite not knowing how to saddle them, claiming that "Curiosity killed the cat," to which Ratka responded "Not quite yet."

With proof of the caravan moving, and some choice words said to avoid incrimination, the gold was distributed and the caravan on its way. It moved... not very far, but certainly away from the town. There, discussions about the mist, Barovia, and the Vistani continued. A woman spoke up when Ahrieya was questioning about the mist, explaining that it does not harm them, and in fact helps them travel from place to place. The reason for this is not completely known, though an old story she knows was always the reason she was told was always given as a reason for this gift. Taking a big swig of wine, she spat it into the fire as the cinders and smoke began to dance and make out shapes that narrated her story...

We come from an ancient land whose name is long forgotten—a land of kings. Our enemies forced us from our homes, and now we wander the lost roads.
One night, a wounded soldier staggered into our camp and collapsed. We nursed his terrible injury and quenched his thirst with wine. He survived. When we asked him who he was, he wouldn’t say. All he wanted was to return home, but we were deep in the land of his enemies. We took him as one of our own and followed him back toward his homeland. His enemies hunted him. They said he was a prince, yet we didn’t give him up, even when their assassins fell upon us like wolves.
This man of royal blood fought to protect us, as we protected him. We bore him safely to his home, and he thanked us. He said, ‘I owe you my life. Stay as long as you wish, leave when you choose, and know that you will always be safe here.
A curse has befallen our noble prince, turning him into a tyrant. We alone have the power to leave his domain. We’ve traveled far and wide to find heroes, or anyone such as yourselves to end our dread lord’s curse and put his troubled soul to rest. Our leader, Madam Eva, knows all. Will you return to Barovia with us and speak with her?

Commenting on the story, Gio inquired a bit more about the mist and how it works. The woman believes that the prince of which the story spoke of might be able to control it, but she was not sure as that is just what she can gleam from the stories. Idris pulled aside one of the Vistani to ask them if they hear any music from the mist. He replied that the only music they hear is what they create. As if it had been completely forgotten, Stanimir hands Gio a letter that he was asked to deliver upon the first 'likely' recipients. Sealed with a strange crest with a raven and a tower on it, it reads...

Hail to thee of might and valor. I, a lowly servant of Barovia, send honor to thee. We plead for thy so desperately needed assistance.
The love of my life, Ireena Kolyana, has been afflicted by an evil so deadly that even the good people of our village cannot protect her. She languishes from her wound, and I would have her saved from this menace.
There is much wealth and knowledge in this community. I offer all that might be had to thee and thy fellows if thou shalt but answer my desperate plea.
Come quickly, for her time is at hand! All that I have shall be thine!
Kolyan Indirovich Burgomaster

The feasting and drinking continued into the late evening, even if some of the party didn't partake. Ahrieya perched herself up in a tree, Nova spread out on the ground near the fire, and the others found themselves in some of the open spots in the wagons. Idris and Gio stayed up just before first watch, untrusting of these new people they had just met. Gio said that he wants to learn more about the mist as it has stopped him from farming carrots. Idris is a bit out of practice with his mother's rebab, though he used to play gigs in Baldur's Gate before coming here.
Idris took over watch, tuning his rebab when he accidentally chips a nail. Unknowing, he looks down at where it fell only to see the pale green and grey mist invading his space. Trying to keep away from it, he noticed it only filled the area around more and more. Calling out for Gio, the entire party woke to find the mist now at knee height (for most people) and slowly enveloping the camp from all sides. The Vistani appear to be gone, and with not many other options, Idris plunged into the mist, claiming to let them know if he dies before abruptly being cut off. Ahrieya sends a small creature, Viggo, after Idris to see what's happening to him, before losing connection to them as well. Nova want go into mist, but Gio refuses. After a short tussle, Nova manages to pull Gio into the mist before they both get separated. Ahrieya, concerned for her friend, rushes into the mist, leaving Ariadne confused as to why everyone left before she plunged in as well. Then, everything goes dark...

A Mortuary's Homecoming

Everyone's head felt heavy. Screams piercing their minds trying to break them to the point of bursting. Then, visions came to each member of the party...

Ariadne: You hear the faint chatter of small talk, indiscernible but ever present. Your arms rest on a wooden counter as you look towards a glass door with a hanging sign easily seen from the inside. You hear a *ding* from behind you as some sort of contraption sits on a stone appliance. Turning to look, about to take a step, a bell rings from the door you were just staring at. Words are spoken, but muffled. Doubling back, you peer at the doorway and reach onto the counter.
Nova: You stumble for a moment. The crunch of packed snow echoes as your knee falls to meet it. Suddenly, the wind howls all around you. Heavy snowflakes battering your head, you turn around to get your bearings to find yourself amongst small leather tents and wooden homes. A figure, blurry, stands a fair distance from you. Something from the top of his head gleams ever so slightly even in the darkened air of the storm. Beside him, you swear you see the outline of a bear. However, nothing is there. A muffled call meets your ears, though you cannot make out what. Instinctively, you reach downward.
Idris: The loud cacophony of strumming and drumming easily pervaded the small, haphazardly decorated room, separated from the noise by a blurry yet poorly soundproofed door. The room smells of ash, and the down of the couch you lay on is well worn and shot. Cinders drop from something in your hand as you look at the ceiling. Then, the mixture of intrusive sounds from beyond the door slowly dimmed down. Slowly, a familiar melody shifts throughout the space. Your face feels warm, as though you shot back a stiff drink. Strange. The door swings open, to see a blurred vision of pastel colors bark something at you, though you cannot make out any words. You stretch and reach towards the other end of the couch to grab something.
Ahrieya: Soft cloth sheets wrap around you. Rays of light barely peek through a blurry glass window a few feet from where you lie. You blink a few times trying to focus, but your vision stays blurry. Shuffling slightly under the sheets, you feel a great weight on your chest. Looking down, you can make out a multitude of tomes. You realize, you haven’t slept in quite some time. Breaking this long, long, long streak, you turn to set both feet on the rough wooden floor. As the wood creaks beneath your weight, a high-pitched voice can be heard moving closer, along with a set of light footfalls. In the doorway of the room, a small boy stands. Muffled words come from them before they turn to run. Your hands drift towards the nightstand before you stand to follow.
Gio: The smell of searing cured meat is intoxicating. Looking down, oil and fat splatters from a cast-iron pan, occasionally leaving darkened splotches on your garb. Your legs ache, and the pan sizzles and spits, you look around only to see a blurry room, wooden cabinets, and a table. Turning back to the task at hand, you suddenly feel a pair of soft hands around your shoulders. A flash of black hair can be made out before it fades. You hear a whisper in your ear. Kind, warm, nice. The feeling fades from your shoulders, and rapid footfalls can be heard from outside the room. Turning, you reach up towards one of the wooden cabinets.

Vision slowly returning, the party found themselves in an unfamiliar area with nothing on their person other than the item they reached for in their vision, as well as the letter that was handed to them by Stanimir. Panic ensued (especially in Idris) when all their things were missing. Ahrieya could still summon Viggo, though his appearance took on a much more skeletal form. Idris exclaiming he needs a smoke was greeted by Nova offering him a *slightly* muddy small twig, roughly the size of a cigarette, to help cope. With mist all around them, following their back as they moved, the party decides to march along the road set before them.
Over time, the road brought them to a massive set of headless statues that flanked a massive iron gate. Upon approaching, the gate opened on its own accord for the group, much to everyone's worry and confusion.

Beyond the gates, after a few minutes of travel, a foul smell hit Ahrieya first, then everyone else. The scent led to a human leaning against a tree. As Nova approached, axe in hand, she noted that it was already dead, with slash wounds from claws and bites. Around the body were canine paw prints, and after a brief discussion as to whether or not they were dogs or wolves, howls could be heard from the woods beyond the mist. Despite not having anything of real value on them, the corpse of the young man held a letter, crumpled and broken with a large 'B' seal on it. It read...

Hail thee of might and valor: I, the Burgomaster of Barovia, send you honor—with despair.

My adopted daughter, the fair Ireena Kolyana, has been these past nights bitten by a vampyr. For over four hundred years, this creature has drained the life blood of my people. Now, my dear Ireena languishes and dies from an unholy wound caused by this vile beast. He has become too powerful to conquer.

So I say to you, give us up for dead and encircle this land with the symbols of good. Let holy men call upon their power that the devil may be contained within the walls of weeping Barovia. Leave our sorrows to our graves, and save the world from this evil fate of ours.

There is much wealth entrapped in this community. Return for your reward after we are all departed for a better life.

Kolyan Indirovich Burgomaster

Comparing this letter to the one received previously, while the name and titles were the same, the tone, content, and handwriting were all different, not to mention the seal on the letter itself. This is all very concerning.
Soon after, discussing that they need to find shelter in this dreary, grey land, a house can be seen through Ahrieya's familiar Viggo. A three-story house with an attic, with a small garden (with accompanying scarecrow) and two small children sobbing on the porch. Approaching the children, they say their parents are inside dealing with a monster, and though they wanted all three of them to stay in their room upstairs, Rose (the young girl) and Thorne (the young boy) were both too frightened to stay. Worried for their little brother Walter's safety, Rose asks if they can go inside to see if he is okay. After questioning the confused girl outside, the party decided to go inside, see if they can get some supplies and equipment, check on the child, and try to help the parents deal with some monster. Entering the home, it looks much nicer on the inside than out, though definitely old looking. A symbol of a windmill on a hill could be seen throughout the halls; the family crest. Room by room the party moved through the chambers, taking swords, crossbows, food, and anything else useful they might be able to find. Even some items that had been previously lost to the mists seemed to have appeared here, though how they managed to find their way to this home was uncertain.

A painting in a hall revealed the faces of a family; a father, mother, daughter (who looked like Rose), son (who looked like Thorne), and a small child in the father's arms, whom the party surmised was Walter. The mother seemed to have some kind of ire painted on her face however, and it seemed to be directed at Walter. Ahrieya managed to find a secret door to a chamber off the Library on the second floor. Ariadne took advantage of this situation to live out her best Belle fantasy.

Inside, Ahrieya found her grimoire, as well as a large wooden chest with a skeleton in it, to which Gio's examination proved that it was a dart trap that killed them and that the mechanism was shot. Some documents were found in the chest, including a deed to the current home they are in, as well as a windmill, and a will written by Gustav and Elizabeth Durst. There was also a letter stashed here, which bore the same raven seal as before. It read...

My most pathetic servant,
I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.

You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a bastard son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.

Your dread lord and master, Strahd von Zarovich

Moving into a conservatory-like room, Idris took this opportunity to grab an instrument, only to be surprised when whimpering could be heard from under a harpsichord further in the room. Nova went to investigate, finding a small dog hiding in the corner underneath the instrument. Coercing the dog to leave its space, Nova grabbed it by the scruff to reveal a sweet little pup named Patcha (now named "Pot"). Nova continued to carry the pup throughout the house. Upon leaving the room, Idris' instrument immediately turned into his mother's rebab, but it seemed like it was always there. Strange.
The stairs to the third floor led them to a balcony where a dusty suit of black armor stood, covered in cobwebs. As the party approached, the armor shifted and moved aggressively towards the party.

Rewards Granted

A multitude of weapons were found in the home that the two children lived in, ranging from longswords to crossbows, and including a set of leather armor. Letters signed by seemingly important individuals were given to the party. For now, they seem to have obtained shelter in this strange land, as long as it is safe to stay inside.

Missions/Quests Completed

The party managed to have the Vistani leave Daggerford and received their payment of 50 gold each. 
While they followed the Vistani, the mist enveloped them and they no longer know where they are.

Report Date

04 Jul 2022

Primary Location

Durst Manor

Related Characters

• Flameo Hotman
• Lady Morwen Daggerford
• Patcha "Pot"
• Rose and Thorne
• Stanimir