Session 31

General Summary

Out of the Frying Pan...

Sintyavr 26th

(4:00 PM)

A Warrior Reaches Out From the Past

• Ilyson becomes the latest in a string of paranormal visions as a spectral image on a hilltop speaks to him

In the darkness of your mind, a whisper pierces through the veil, carried on the ethereal wind that danced through the ancient runes you carry within you.. It was a voice, deep and resonant, weaving its way into the depths of your consciousness. "Ilyson," the voice called out, its words echoing with a sense of urgency and purpose. "Come to Yester Hill, where time and destiny entwine. A secret awaits, hidden amidst the whispers of the past."
The voice spoke of longing and patient anticipation, as if an age-old guardian had been awaiting this moment, yearning for a chosen one to step forward. It recognizes you as the vessel, the keeper of a profound knowledge buried deep within your very soul.
"Within you lies the wisdom of forgotten might," the voice proclaimed, its timbre carrying a mixture of sorrow and determination. "Power that Strahd, the dark lord, sought to extinguish from these lands long ago. But the time has come to rectify the sins of the past."
As the words unfurled, you could almost sense a hunger, an insatiable thirst for justice that emanated from the depths of the voice. It spoke of a weapon, a spear that yearned to be wielded in a righteous cause.
"My spear thirsts for blood," the voice declared with a solemn conviction. "Retrieve it, for it holds the key to reclaiming these towering peaks. Become the ruler, the sovereign of these mountains, just as the valiant warriors of the ancient days once did, standing tall against the Whispering Wall."
In the cryptic vision, you could almost taste the weight of history, the gravity of a forgotten era calling out to you. The path ahead is treacherous, the challenges great, but within your grasp lay the potential to rewrite the narrative of these haunted lands.

The Bones Of St. Andral

• Vincenzo sends Helena upstairs to scout ahead to find the bones that Henrik says he was forced to procure and has hidden in his bedroom's wardrobe
• Henrik refuses, out of terror, to step foot upstairs. Vince and Verce guard him downstairs.
• After reaching a locked door in the upstairs kitchen, Vincenzo (through Helena's eyes) guides Ilyson, Rumex, and Ozan to the area the bones are hidden, only Ozan makes his way to Helena while the other duo head towards a large darkened storage room filled with mysterious earthen smelling wooden crates labeled "JUNK"
• Ozan picks the lock to the bedroom, and experiences a dreadful foreboding, after searching the wardrobe and discovering a false bottom compartment containing two sacks--a large one containing the bones of St. Andral and a small one containing 30 sp and 12 ep. All of the coins bear the profiled visage of Strahd von Zarovich.

All Hell Breaks Loose

• The moment Ozan picks u the sack of bones, coincides with the moment Rumex begins to pry open one of the crates in the adjacent storage area.
• Some of the crates explode open and bursting forth into the area are five imposing Vampire Spawn that are decidedly more ferocious than Doru was back in the village of Barovia.
• A clumsy fight ensues in the darkness, with each spawn displaying some sort of weird individuality, one of which had even cast a magical acid splash.
• It seems the goal of these monsters was to make a grab for the bones and escape, as they wrestled them out of Ozan's hands and dashed downstairs.
• Vince, hearing the brawl upstairs begins to panic and sends firebolts into the showroom and towards Henrik, barely missing him but setting the wooden interiors ablaze (and the rest catching fast!)
• Rumex and Ilyson were able to subdue one of the Spawn (the half orc) with the aid of Vince's spreading conflagration.
• Verce, meanwhile, begins to stare into the fire...

In the bizarre, absurd, and unforgiving theatre of battle, Verce, our gem Dragonborn, found his eyes ensnared by a raging fire in the corner. Ignited by Vincenzo’s fiery bolt of magic, it was a pyre aimed to turn their enemies’ sanctuary into a pile of smoldering ashes. As Verce watched the fire, engrossed by its chaotic dance, the cacophonous symphony of warfare became a dull hum in his ears.
Suddenly, quite unexpectedly, as is the way with dreams and visions, Verce found himself standing in a sprawling courtyard under the melancholic glow of the setting sun. In the center of this beautiful, silent square, stood an awe-inspiring statue of a silver dragon, Argynvost. His spectral form shimmered with an aura of ancient wisdom and grace, his silver scales reflecting the sun’s dying light.
Everything stopped. In this extraordinary moment of silence, the only sound that could be heard was the eerie crackling of spectral flames. Argynvost’s eyes, shimmering like liquid silver, met Verce’s gaze. In a voice that echoed in the emptiness, he said, “Vercinissistrix, we may appear as gem and silver, but our blood is one. Our destinies are interlinked, tied by invisible threads of fate.”
Argynvost’s words were soaked in a timeless wisdom and quiet sadness, “Strahd’s curse has poisoned this land, seeping into its very soul. My knights, once the stalwart guardians of our Order, are trapped in a never-ending purgatory, their oaths left unfulfilled. You have the potential to cleanse this corruption.”
Surrounded by the spectral warmth, Verce’s eyes stayed fixed on Argynvost, his voice steady and resolute, “What is the task that lays before me, Argynvost?”
The silver dragon’s gaze was unwavering, “Liberate my knights, Verce. Put an end to their ceaseless torment. Ignite within them the fire of our shared vow of vengeance. Unite them under a new banner, and let our combined light drive away the darkness that engulfs this land.”
As the echo of Argynvost’s plea faded, the courtyard was flooded with a radiant light that seemed to emanate from the spectral dragon. The light filled Verce, strengthening his resolve and solidifying the bond between them.
Abruptly, the sights and sounds of battle surged back. Vincenzo’s fire bolt was now a roaring inferno, consuming everything in its path. But to Verce, the fire was now a symbol, a beacon of destiny. He was now entrusted with a noble mission. He would rebuild the Order of the Silver Dragon. He would end Strahd’s curse. His destiny lay clear ahead, and Verce was ready to meet it, head-on. Because that’s what heroes do. And so it goes.

Making a Break for it

• With the bones of St. Andral in their possession, two of the remaining Vampire Spawn dive downstairs where Verce stands to face them barring their path.
• One clings to the ceiling and the other pushes Verce, attempting to run out with the sack's location becoming muddled (which spawn has it?!)
• Verce deals heavy blows to both Spawn as they get past him, one crashing through the showroom window to the west, the other through the front door.
• Vincenzo in his weary panic bolts from the burning coffin shop and leans on a building to the west catching his breath.
• The last two spawn on the second floor disengage with Ozan, Rumex and Ilyson and crash through the shuttered windows and weak iron bars to the streets below, the warriors tumble out after them and give chase around the north side of the building.
• Rumex and Ilyson fire arrows errantly at the quickly moving creatures and bolts after them, desperately trying not to lose sight of them in the crowded, dusky streets.
• And the chase is on...

The Coffin Shop

Report Date

15 Jul 2023

Primary Location

Coffin Maker's Shop

Related Characters

• Henrik van der Voort

Dark Cloaked Vampire Spawn

Half Orc Vampire Spawn

Magic User Vampire Spawn

Elven Vampire Spawn

Soldier Vampire Spawn

Argynvost