Session 3
General Summary
Evening of the First Day
As the party left Durst Manor with the bodies of children and a pet, each person except Idris began to dig shallow graves in the soft earth. Prayers were spoken, markers were placed, and tired bones and bodies were laid to rest. Ahrieya, burying the corpse of the bastard Walter, seemed to observe reality slightly differently as she buried a bloodied woman without much of a change in demeanor. Idris took a moment to play a melody for the bodies, but the same solemn tune emerged from the instrument. Ariadne took a moment to shout in the forest as the remainder of the group decided it would be a good idea not to burn down the mansion, but at the very least use it for shelter during the evening. Everyone funneled into the library on the second floor, and as the indoor camp was made, Gio and Nova wanted to survey the perimeter, fortify exit and entry points, and generally just take a walk. Gio told Nova to go ahead and join the rest of the group, and as she left he promptly broke down and cried in the empty, dusty manor. On the way to the stairs, Nova heard a wind blow through the manor. The quiet howling of the wind led her to a room, and opening the door, found herself in a snowstorm with a familiar spectral bear stoically looking off in the distance. It questioned Nova's group, how she felt, and if she trusts them. When asked if Nova is on the right path, the bear responded that they felt the presence of the Ursor here in Barovia far off to the west. At some point, she should travel there. Nova took a moment to rest in the cold, comforting snow before traveling back to the rest of the group. Wiping tears away from his eyes, Gio noticed a pillar of light in the room. When it began to ask who Gio is and where they were, suddenly things became much more concerning. The voice knew not who they were, but remembered coming to this land to see their brother. A few more questions later without any meaningful responses later, the pillar vanished, leaving Gio alone in the room, more concerned than ever. Returning to the group, Gio asked if Idris could check his chest for wounds from the bead of light, only to see partially healed battle scars. Looking out the window, Ariadne noticed that the moon seemed to be a waxing crescent; barely full. Camping out in the library, Ariadne and Idris decided to take first watch. After a discussion brought up by Ariadne about optimism, and that the worst must certainly now be behind them, Idris made a bet with Ariadne that he could paint Gio's face real good while he slept. Interested, Ariadne observed the master at work as Idris got just about to finishing the contour before rousing Gio from his sleep after he called out an unfamiliar name. Coerced back to sleep, Idris and Ariadne finished their watch without much issue. Waking Gio up for second watch, he debated waking Nova up, ultimately deciding against it. Moving throughout the house, he noticed a pair of voices coming from outside; a young girl's and an older woman's. Choosing to stay within the safety of the manor, Gio watched as a woman came into view holding a candle-lit lantern. Her calling out for the child's voice in the woods was cut short by a pair of claws piercing into her chest, tearing her in half, viscera scattering everywhere. A figure shaped in the mockery of man clothed in burlap with two piercing yellow eyes peered through the darkness towards the manor, calling out in an unsettling voice which chilled Gio. After freaking out for a moment, Gio woke up the rest of the party to inform them what was going on. The entity scampered around the outside of the house, calling out to the party in unsettling phrases. Thinking quickly, Idris and Ahrieya used Thaumaturgy to lure the entity around the house, and eventually cause it to leave back into the forest. Upon laying eyes on it, Ahrieya noticed that the creature looked oddly familiar to the scarecrow that used to be in the garden outside the manor. Barring the room so that nothing else could come in, Ahrieya took over watch for the rest of the evening. She took this opportunity to identify all the items that they had gotten inside the manor, as well as pilfer the orb that Ariadne had taken from the basement, only to identify it as a non-magical orb (though it seems to have been magical at some point). During the evening, each member had a vivid dream...Nova: You stand over a young boy, a year or two older than you. His arm bruised, nose bloodied and only a bit crooked. He shoots you a scowl, then stands and bows his head. The boy rushes over to a few other children before they chatter amongst themselves before walking off. You hear the hearty chuckle of an older man, and turning to face him you see a familiar man draped in the pelt of a golden bear. “Nova should not be doing such things” he scolds you, albeit with a smile on his face. “But, these things can not be helped.” He walks over to you and looks down. “Remember, the tenant of the bear; strength indomitable. The bear uses its great strength and size to beat its enemies, and so will we.” Gio: Back pressed against blazing hot stone, you clutch a blade as the clang of steel and mighty roars can be heard just behind you. Assessing the situation, you turn to see a muscular older man holding off what looked like a huge, lumbering creature bearing a moderately-sized tree with metal spikes protruding from it. An older woman nearby seemed to be making callouts and marking parts of the monster with magic and arrows. Two younger humans, a man with a set of axes and a woman with a slender blade, rush at the creature and begin to cut and pierce into it as it roars in pain, doubling back to expose its belly and neck. The older man shouts “Gio! That’s your damn opening!” You rush out, sword in hand and drive it into the stomach of the monster. Recoiling from the strike, the monster lurches forward and you cut into its exposed neck as a spray of blood coats you before the creature falls to the ground with a loud thud. Ariadne: A ripple cascades out from the surface you stand on. Looking down, you see yourself in the reflection, and just over your head you see the moon, opalescent in its place in the sky. You look back up, and see dust or powder begin to fall from the moon, shimmering like stars in the night sky. At it touches the water-like surface you find yourself standing on, it begins to pile up on itself, forming into shapes that resemble trees, shacks, homes, birds that fly in the nights, and creatures that prowl amidst the forest. “My dear daughter” a voice calls out, barely recognizable from memory. “There is so much I want to tell you, so much about the night and its splendor. Of a place where the stars cast out the light and dark alike. Ariadne, know that we are of the night, the stars our stewards. Never forget this, even long after I’m gone. Ahrieya: “Do you know why we study the arcane, occult, necromantic, et cetera et cetera?” A snooty voice echoes out as you find yourself in a lecture hall. “Its not in the self-righteous ever-growing pursuit of knowledge, but to find a way to combat it! Does an angel know innately the inner machinations of a devil? Or perhaps a demon? No, of course not, they study their enemy.” The lecturer continues to ramble on and on, which while certainly interesting, was not anything you hadn’t already heard before. You blink and find yourself in your dorm room, looking at a handful of trinkets that you were given by the department. A male voice whines “Uuuuuugh, will you ever stop staring at those? I need attention too you know?” You don’t take your eyes off the trinkets, twisting a stone puzzle piece with an arrow head at its tip until a audible *click* is heard, as it begins to glow.” Idris: The burning sensation of the stage lights hits your face, and it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. Around you, you see your band mates all in position, waiting to play. A dark skinned woman in a gorgeous pastel dress turns from the crowd of people to you and takes a step. “You doing alright Idris?” You nod, and she smiles. “Good, cause I’ve never seen this many people show up before, so don’t fuck up” as she winks at you. A moment later, you hear the clack of drum sticks in 4/4 time as you begin to play. The guitarist gives you a goofy smile as you turn back to see the drummer going absolutely ham on their kit. You tune everything out for just a moment as you listen to the woman sing; though not the sweetest of lyrics, is incredible nonetheless. The world begins to come back, but at that moment you realize no one else is playing. The crowd is silent, staring at you, as is your band. You focus only to notice you are playing the same, solemn melody on stage. The look of disgust on your band members faces as the woman walks up to you. “I trusted you…” are all the words she makes out before her eyes begin to blaze orange and yellow as her form and the form of your band mates melts into the stage. The crowd is gone, with a black void replacing it with a yellow and orange figure in a long, trailing robe floats in its center, a flaming yellow ring around his head like an eclipse, and a yellow metal necklace dangling around his neck. Tendrils of flame begin to pour out from under the robes. “Welcome, to my hollow grave, Idrissyl”
Civilization Bound
Waking up in the manor, Ahrieya distributed items to the group. Turns out that yellow metal necklace is magical, but the entirety of its properties are difficult to decipher. Trying to have a brief discussion about topics such as lycanthropy, where they should go, and why they were told to stay away, the group wanted to do something to the house. Ahrieya managed to come up with a communication system with the magical dollhouse which seemed sentient, to which the dollhouse expressed it dissatisfaction with life. In the meantime, Gio and Nova laid waste to the stairs in order to make sure no one would delve into the basement ever again. After determining the dollhouse wanted to end things via fire, Ariadne hit the dollhouse with a moonbeam as it melted and faded into the air. With the issues concerning the home resolved, the group left and ventured on the road towards what they believed to be civilization. While traveling, the group saw a figure hunched over on the side of the road resting by a fire. They seemed clad in black clothes and leather, bearing a metallic staff with a brazier at the top. The man was soft spoken with few words, but seemed to answer any questions they had. They asked about the settlement up ahead, revealing it was the Village of Barovia. Strange to have the village named after the lands. The demeanor of the people were revealed to be dour and solemn, with no apparent customs that the party needed to know of. Though, to be fair, the man hadn't been in the village for some time. The man didn't say his name, but insisted that people called him 'Blackhand' before revealing that he had business to resolve in the southwestern mountains and was not from this place at all. After being referred to as 'fleshlings' by the figure, and with nothing else to ask, the party went on their way leaving the man behind. During the interactions, Ahrieya noticed that Blackhand's skin was shiny and grey, as his eyes looked neon blue and multifaceted. Getting close to the town, the group saw an old woman giving a pastry to a dreary-looking man who, through Ahrieya reading lips, overtly expressed his gratitude. Noticing the woman was lugging around a cart, Ahrieya ran up to help her. She revealed her name as Granny, the baker who delivers her 'dream pastries' to the people of Barovia to make their lives just a little bit better. While they cost 1gp each, she gave one pie for each person to the party, exclaiming that everyone looked like they were wasting away. Asking about the village, Granny revealed that if you're looking for a general store, Bildrath's Mercantile is where you want to go. Otherwise, the Blood on the Vine tavern might be a good place to meet people. When asked about the burgomaster, Granny explained that he died a few days ago after being harried by creatures in his home, supposedly dying from a troubled heart. Before leaving, Granny asked him the young, edgy looking gentleman was taken, and that Ahrieya should take advantage of that before she grows too old. You should really settle down and bag yourself a man young lady! Idris was interested in finding a general store in order to get some supplies and armor. Entering the shop, while dusty and unkempt in some places, the establishment was actually quite nice. The pale, dour looking man behind the counter welcomed Idris, Ariadne, and Ahrieya as they explored the shop. Interested in purchasing some studded leather armor, Bildrath charged what was clearly double its normal price for the armor, claiming that "If you really need it, you'll pay for it." Not interested in being conned, Idris casually mentioned trying to pawn off an expensive necklace, catching the attention of the shrewd store owner. A bit of bartering later, and with Bildrath appreciating Idris' gumption, the shopkeep managed to lower the price for the studded leather, adding in a breastplate at a reduced price and a brass brazier on the house. Going into the back to check that the brazier was in fact brass, Ahrieya managed to sleight of hand a bundle of incense while the shop seemed unattended. Bartering with the amor and weapons the party had, as well as a *definitely* antique helmet provided by Ariadne, the party left the shop with some new armor. On the way out, Ahrieya noticed that there was another yellow metal necklace inside the shop. Bildrath claimed it was pawned off on him by a Vistani caravan passing through the village on the way to Vallaki. Charging a 100g price tag for it, the young elf decided to put it on the back burner for now as the group left the shop. The group then went towards the aptly named Blood on the Vine tavern near the shop. Walking in, the formerly fancy looking establishment was populated by only a handful of souls: three colorfully-dressed women chatting amongst each other, a dreary looking bartender cleaning glasses, and a pale, blonde man staring into his drink. As everyone found their own table, Ahrieya ventured to the counter and asked the barkeep if they had some kind of private room to cry in. When told they had nothing of the sort, Ahrieya asked to use the back door and go into the alley to cry with the garbage. When exiting into the alley, Ahrieya began the (extremely long) process of re-summoning Viggo. The rest of the group sat at their table. As Ariadne and Gio stood up to get some drinks, Idris and Nova noticed that the pale blonde man follow the two to the bar. When they ordered drinks, the man insisted that he pay for their drinks, and introduced himself as Ismark Kolyanovich, the burgomaster's son. He explained the situation in the village as much as he can and asked the group if they could do something very important to him. As it would seem, Ismark's sister, Ireena, is being harried by 'The Devil Strahd' for some time now, and once he sets his sights on something, he never relents. After seeing what had happened to the priest's son, Doru, returning to the village as a gaunt, bestial looking creature, Ismark wants to have Ireena avoid that fate. He asked the party if they could escort Ireena to safety, and after waiting for Ahrieya to finish summoning Viggo, agreed to do so, or at least get some more information before a concrete decision is made. Ismark revealed a bit more information about some parts of Barovia. The lands are ruled by the count Strahd von Zarovich, who Ismark believes that even uttering his name allows him to peer into your soul. The scarecrow-like creature was identified as The Gardener, an entity that apparently serves a witch in the west. Ismark seems to have some mistrust of Vistani, as some of them work for Strahd himself, while others seem to serve Madam Eva. Speaking of Madam Eva, she has a Vistani settlement at the Tser Pools by the river. While this conversation was happening, Idris went to talk with the three women in the tavern. They don't seem to be Vistani, or at least not anymore since they despise the way of life that was associated with it. They revealed they they own the tavern they are in, as well as that old Vistani Stanimir no longer serves Madam Eva, but in fact serves Strahd himself. That seems to explain a lot... In order to further discuss the details of the task, the group was escorted to the Burgomaster's Mansion by Ismark. Upon arrival, the party noticed that beast and humanoid footprints and claw marks alike littered the grounds and walls of the grand house. Knocking on the door, a feminine voice spoke back before unlocking the door, revealing a strikingly beautiful auburn-haired woman with her hand on the hilt of her blade...Rewards Granted
The group identified some items that were found in the mansion, inicluding...
a cloak of protection
four potions of healing
a spell book with very few spells in it
a yellow metal pendant which acts similarly to an amulet of fortitude
After bartering in Bildrath's Mercantile, the group left with...
studded leather armor
breatplate
a bundle of incense
Missions/Quests Completed
The group managed to leave the Durst Manor and make their way to the Village of Barovia. They seem to be inclined to help Ismark and escort Ireena to safety, to which Ismark recommeneded either the town of Vallaki or Krezk.
Report Date
27 Jul 2022
Primary Location
Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments