SIDE QUEST: A Delightful Dinner With The Devil
Strahd has asked that the PC's join him for dinner.
Escher, a native of Barovia Proper, approaches the party at the Barovia Church. He wishes to extend a dinner invitation to the party for tomorrow evening.
A letter is left for one of them in their rooms at the Blue Water Inn
Don't forget dinner music. You can start with Toccata in Fugue, but I recommend Bach Chello Suite #5.
Strahd is going to hire people from Vallaki to help build up Barovia Proper. To try the spread the wealth, he wishes for the Valley to rebuilt.
Have Strahd taunt the players by indulging in vampire clichés.
Have him savor garlic bread.
He eats with pure silverware.
He checks his teeth in a mirror.
He tells stories of entering houses uninvited.
Tayo found a gun! it belongs to the Demi plane of dread: Tovag
Darklord: Kas the Bloody Handed- Hallmarks: Undead military dictatorship. Kas was once a champion of Vecna, the lich of old.
What has been going on in the outside world for the past 400 years?
Strahd offers players their hearts desire. Offer real gifts, no strings attached. Dangle what they want in front of them. The catch of course is that if they accept, Strahd now has power over them, and potentially blackmail material.
Strahd will warn them that they are meddling in very dangerous affairs. If they choose to openly oppose him, he will have no issues crushing them to absolution.
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If St. Andral’s Feast was prevented, Strahd will tell the party that he is tired of the Vallakovich family controlling his town. He will ask them to go and “liberate” Vallaki from such a toxic family (yes, this is a quest given by Strahd, testing for worthy successors).
When dinner is concluded, Strahd bids the party farewell.
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Gertruda takes a party member to the basement to drain blood from a random villager.
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During the end of the dinner, Strahd asks the party to step aside with him and talk as they head to the second floor and out to the overlook, the destined location of their brawl. He tells them that there is a spy amongst his consorts and he would like them to figure out who it is.
Plot Hooks:
Things to Talk About:
Tayo, I have many coins that are quite rare, I would be happy to give them to you in exchange for some small work. Your past would cease to trouble you any longer. Perhaps I might have something that can take down that dragon for you, let me search my treasury and get back to you.--
Artur, the ones responsible for slaughtering and abducting your family reside here in Barovia. It is true that some of the monsters here in my valley work for me but, not all of them. I could be a great aid in your quest for vengeance. In fact, I have one of them captured here in my castle. Would you like to interrogate him? I'll have Rahadin escort you to him after dinner.--
Grimm, You seek to destroy monsters across Faerun, protecting the innocent, destroying evil and uncovering the mysteries behind this land. I will not lie about myself, I am indeed a monster shackled by the blood of my people. This will likely never change. However, perhaps I could be a generous monster. One that truly watches over his people, protecting them and guiding them to a fulfilling and happy life. I have spent too much time here wallowing in my own grief. That is why I have employed many carpenters to fix up Barovia Proper. They seem inadequately suited for the task though. Let me give you a bit of information. This valley is but one of many shrouded in darkness. Great powers of immense evil reside in these Demi-planes of dread. Each demi plane has a ruler, much like me. Though, none quite as powerful as me. Us Dark Lords are incapable of traversing to other realms, we are shackled here by our past deeds, doomed to forever look over our tiny sliver of land. However, people such as you can traverse the mists, as long as you have a talisman the belongs to one of these realms. As time marches on, the mists get greedy, they seem to have been melding many of these Demi-Planes together, blurring the lines between my realm and others. Hundreds of years ago, my valley was much bigger but, the mists have been eating away at it. It seems the Dark Powers are constantly at war. If I were to provide you with the means to traverse the mists, what would you say about helping me reclaim my realm to its former glory? We could work side by side. I believe it is time for me to make myself known again across my valley. I can no longer sit on the sidelines and watch everything I have made be turned to rubble.--
Kreagon, you seek retribution for your clan do you not? Perhaps a betrayal you wish to set right. Sarah, a woman I know well, is hiding out in my valley. Truth betold, that isn't her real name. Her real name is Alcio “Baron” Metus. Her vampiric blood was not born from my own but, an individual from a rivaling realm called Darkon. She is a fantastically violent woman, I am surprised she didn't kill you when she had the chance. Some how, she has managed to travel to my land through the mists, perhaps she has a talisman belonging to Barovia. I believe she is looking for the vampire hunter that killed her brother (Baron), a man by the name Rudolf Van Richten. One of your friends has a book about him and I believe you have met him before...no? I would very much like to get in touch with him, if you have any information about his whereabouts, I would be happy to help you track down Alcio and bring her to justice.
Ireena’s soul belongs to me alone and I will suffer your intromissions no longer. Let me tell you a story; Long ago there was a beautiful maiden in a riverside town named Berez, her name was Marina and she was to be my bride. Unfortunately the burgomaster and the priest killed her to avoid this ceremony. Grief stricken and enraged, I killed them both. I did not stop there though. My tiers ran ferociously through the valley. The Luna river overflowed and flooded the place turning it into a marsh, killing scores of people and destroying a town. Let that be a lesson to all those who wish to steal my love away from me, you will get no remorse from me, nor mercy. Not when it comes to her.
When I conquered the valley, there was a community of elves whose lives were spared, they went on and lived among the Vistani. Patrina Velikovna was a beautiful elf maiden who Strahd seduced. When the community learned of this, they stoned her to death. Her brother Kasimir lead this act. When Strahd discovered what had happened he visited them, butchered all the female elves, and then mutilated Kasimir’s ears for standing in his way. Since then there are only male elves in the valley, they will slowly die helpless.
All that is required to leave this land, is my permission; or, my life. The former will never be given, and the latter will never be taken. The last man who tried as such, now lives with a mind so utterly broken, he wanders the hillsides believing himself an elk!-
All of Barovia will suffer for your hubris. All will know that while each of you lives, there will be, only darkness.-
You are here because I willed it; you exist because I allow it, and you will die because I demand it.-
Please, continue in your fruitless endeavors, for your persistence is my entertainment.
I have had a pleasant evening hosting you all here tonight. Please, feel free to explore my castle for a little while, I need to go out and take care of something. Its been a long time coming. A couple places are off limits, my study and bedchamber. I trust you all to conduct yourselves in a redeeming manor while I'm out. Have fun, stay safe, and until we meet again! Strahd whistles loudly and his Nightmare Steed flies out of the tallest tower. Strahd leaps high into the air while mounting his horse and flies off into the distance towards Vallaki. A few moments pass before a ball of fiery energy is flung down onto the city. A large explosion follows and the town sets fire as more fire balls are tossed down onto the unsuspecting villagers. A maniacal laughter can be heard across the valley as Strahd is burning down one of his villages.
Special Events:
More Wine!
--Gertruda my dear, will you be a good lady and get us some more wine? Take one of these fine fellows with you and show him around for me.
Gertruda says: What, you didn't forget that we are monsters did you?
