Session 6: Ismark and Ireena

General Summary

As the party adventures down into the depths of the dungeon below the Death House they find what appears to be an abandoned ceremonial chamber that was used for sacrifices. There they find a small puppy that quickly befriends the party. They carefully enter the ritual chamber and unknowingly trigger some sort of ritual when they approach the alter. Thirteen dark apparitions appear around the chamber and start to chant "One must die!". Knowing they must sacrifice something the players attempt to sacrifice a summoned familiar but it appears to have no affect. Charmain quickly asks about sacrificing the puppy to which the other party members quickly shut him down.

After failing to complete the ritual, the apparitions chant, "Lorghoth the Decayer, we awaken thee!", and a large shambling mound begins to attack the party. As the mound attacks the players see the ghosts of the children they saved, Thorn and Rose, urging them to run for their lives. The players quickly escape using some nifty teleportation magic by Sylas and are able to escape the house. They quickly find that the house itself was what lured them in and upon getting free the mists seem to have receded.

They quickly search for a place to rest and find the Blood of the Vine tavern. There they meet the Vistani bar owners as well as a curious man at the bar named Izmark. The Vistani tell the players that they travel to and from the land of Barovia doing trade between Barovia and the other lands. They mention that they have two main camps here in Barovia, one just to the south west of the town of Barovia where they do most of their trading for goods that come from other lands and one the largest camp which is just outside of Vallaki. They recommend the players visit Madam Eva at the camp near the town of Barovia.
Izmark quickly befriends the characters and tells them of the recent death of his father and the troubles they have faced over the past months as evil creatures including the Devil Strahd have stalked his sister. He asks them to come and help protect his sister and he offers them a place to rest.

The players go with Izmark to his home where they meet Ireena. Ireena tells the players of her adopted past and how she will not leave the town until her father has been laid to rest. Every night for months the house was attacked by wolves and Ireena had visions of Strahd visiting her in the night. Since her father died 3 days past there have been no attacks. The group agrees to rest up and bury her father in the morning.
The next morning there is a knock on the door and a woman who goes by the name of Ingrid asks to come inside the house. The group, suspecting something foul refuses to let her in. In a sudden twist of fate, Cormack suggests to the group that they let her in. The group quickly realizes that some sort of spell was cast on Cormack and quickly tell Ingrid to leave.