Session 37

General Summary

Beacon Stripped

The group took a moment to discuss a variety of different plans. Should we ignore the beacon? Warn our people in Krezk? Trek up the mountain? Without any sort of contact with their dark powers, the party asked Niza for her opinion. Strahd could be expecting them to run up the mountain or light the beacon, or this could all be a bluff and he's going for your people. The choice right now is whether you want to gain the strength and knowledge to help you fight him, or to protect your people. During the evening, Ariadne asked if Ahrieya could send a message to someone important, hoping that they would recieve it and understand that they would like to mend the break between them. Turns out the message was for Ahrieya, and though she appreciates the gesture, isn't quite ready to move on. Ahrieya sent an additional message to Sir Fitty Pat. Turns out that hes being held with commander Horngaard, and that he suspects returning the skull will reignite the beacon. Perfect.
In the morning the party made their Brooklyn Supremes and began too move towards the keep. Viggo clocked some wolves moving about the forest, but nothing peculiar. As they arrived at the keep and climbed the tower with the help of Ariadne and some telekinesis, Ahrieya took a moment to conduct a funeral rite-like ritual as Ariadne placed the skull. Gio and Nova took a look outside to see a handful of humanoid-like entities moving along the Svalitch Road. As the skull was placed, the room erupted in a pale blue light, and the top of the chamber crumbled onto the roof of the keep. A spectral blue dragon formed into a pulsating blue light, speaking out and thanking the party for returning hope to this land. As the beacon lifted into the sky, the party felt bolstered, but also concerned. Thats a pretty obvious signal. Ahrieya sent a message to Kasimir asking if he could meet the party on the way up the mountain and help them trek up. Agreeing, and happy to hear that she is now alive, told the party to make sure they have warm clothing for their trip up. Sending a message to Sena after Idris couldn't sense the vibes, bounced back. Sending a message to Isis, the message had no response. 
Meanwhile, Gio, Nova, and Ariadne looked around the keep, moving downstairs, they found in the first room they explored an armored humanoid resting on a throne, and another chained adjacent to him. Recognizing one as Fitty Pat, the party assumed the other was Horngaard. Pilfering the commander's corpse, and freeing Pat, the party remembered they could talk to heads, and then severed Horngaards head and took it with them. Returning, Ahrieya conveyed the information granted by the sendings, while she grabbed some threads drifting off the head. She was granted a vision of a battle, a dragon falling from the sky, a lover knight, and a distaste for adventurers trying to slay Strahd. This is where he belongs. The party head metal clang to the ground, as they were given an amulet: the Icon of Ravenkind.

To Prove A Point

Moving along the road towards Krezk to check on their people and pick up some warm clothing, the party saw two men riding horses ahead, one riding an ebony steed wreathed in flames. before him, a small army of undead and armored denizens. As the mist moved in and the party panicked, Strahd spoke of them as diseased livestock, meddling with powers beyond the shadows and stars. As the party turned to run, they found themselves in another part of the road, as undead denzens moved out of the mist. Cutting down some of the horses, the party began dispatching the undead one by one. As the black armored figures moved out of the mist, the party began to dispatching them. As Gio and Nova worked to dispatch one of the armored figures, they heard a shattering noise before striking again and taking it down.
Rahadin joined the fray as Idris maddened one of the archers, firing randomly, but mostly destroying many of Strahd's skeletons. As the fight raged on, Ireena and Sena emerged from the mist and began to assist the party. Sena moved to assist Idris, remarking if he is alright. A coordinated attack by the party on him managed to down the newly-repaired monstrosity, though very interestingly did not use his necklace's ability from the previous fight. Ireena, inspired by twists of fate granted by the party's presence, struck Rahadin while he was on the ground, seemingly ending his life.
Swiftly, on the edge of the battle after Ahrieya emitted sunlight from the icon, Strahd moved in to strike Idris after peppering the party with spells and shocking Gio. With three swift strikes, Idris sat on death's door before Sena's eyes flared red and turned towards Idris, smiling as she crushed Idris' throat. Before fading into darkness, Idris stroked her face, and he could swear he saw a tear collect in one of her eyes. 
Strahd spoke now, "Time to prove my point."

Report Date

21 Jul 2023