Session 47

General Summary

The Wizard of Wines

Octyavr 1st

(10:00 AM)

Coffee Talk

• Muriel greets the party warmly and introduces herself inside the Blue Water Inn's kitchen, noting that Urwin has told her that she’ll be bringing them to the Wizard of Wines so as to make sure that she “doesn’t get killed."
• Following your reply, she then chides you briefly, playfully suggesting that you all “don’t seem like the adventuring type". Sharing your exploits in Vallaki and beyond, Muriel cheerfully concedes that you do indeed look well-equipped and well-prepared and thanks you for taking the job.
• The crew gather their wits, eat some breakfast provided by Urwin and set off for the Wizard of Wines upon horses provided by Lady Wachter leaving through the western "Sunset Gate," an ironic name in such a dark and dreary land.

Crossing the River

• Along the Svalich Road the path narrows, flanked by dense, towering trees. Up ahead, you can see an old wooden bridge come into view, the Luna River Crossing, its age-worn planks spanning the rushing river below.
• Last time you were all here you fought scarecrows and small twig creatures, you had also found signs of a struggle near the riverbank that led you to Dr. Rudolph Van Richten and Arabelle.
• As you approach you can see the dark river tumbling over the smooth stones of the riverbed, bordered on either side by gnarled bushes and trees.
• As you step onto the bridge, your boots echo against the old, damp wood. To the north, you can see the river meander upstream around the tree line before vanishing around a curve. To the south, the river winds like a ribbon between its banks, then gradually vanishes into mist.

The Path to Argynvostholt

• A dirt path branches off from the Old Svalich Road here, winding its way south up a craggy mountain spur.
• The earth of the path is hard-packed, its color a pallid gray-brown reminiscent of cold ashes. The trees on either side stand silent and stoic, their leaves a faded green.
• As the path winds upward, it's eventually replaced by the deep shadows of the mountain's forested incline, vanishing into the gloom of the woods beyond.

(12:00 PM)

The Path to Tsolenka Pass

• An old hunting trail cuts away from the Old Svalich Road here winding north between old, gnarled trees before vanishing into the underbrush.
• This is the other end of the path that led to that old wizard's tower in the middle of Lake Baratok...the one being used by Van Richten as a hideout from Strahd.
• A hundred yards beyond it, an alpine path splits from the main road to travel south toward the mountains, rising in elevation until it disappears around a steep, tree-covered escarpment.

You hear the snap of a twig in the underbrush to the south.
And Rumex discerns a human-shaped silhouette amidst the tree line beyond. He startles a broad-shouldered woman clad in thick, mud-caked furs and clutching a stone axe. Obsidian ornaments hang from her ears and neck, and a thin layer of gray mud is smeared across her face, blending with the dark trees around her.
The woman immediately attempts to flee into the woods. Rumex begins to give chase when he feels a hand on his shoulder stopping him. Muriel warns the party that the woman is one of the Mountain Folk, a tribe of hunter-gatherers, that live amongst the Balinok Mountains—and that their people are neither servants of Strahd nor dangerous unless attacked.
Muriel doesn’t know why the woman was watching the road, but shares that the Mountain Folk have been more active lately, though no one is quite sure why. Reports suggest that they’re looking for something, however.
Asking about their relationship to the Forest Folk encountered on the Old Svalich Road near Old Bonegrinder she shares that the Forest Folk are known to be loyal servants of Strahd, who they worship like a deity.

Raven River Crossroads

• You see a weatherworn signpost next to the road. The three arms of the sign point along the three branches of the road.
• The arm pointing north reads Krezk, and through the woods you can see an arching stone bridge spanning a river. The arm pointing east from whence you came reads Vallaki, and the road slopes up gradually in that direction. The arm pointing southwest reads The Wizard of Wines. The road slopes gently downward in that direction.

     A figure clad in rusty armor stands alone on the bridge to the north, clutching a gleaming longsword in its pale hands.
     Upon Verce and Ozan's approach, it begins to speak at a deliberate pace, its voice carrying an eerie resonance as if echoing from the depths of the grave. Through the gaps in its armor, a bloodless white pallor is revealed. "Old things are stirring, and the lord of Castle Ravenloft roams the valley. Tell me, do you serve him?"
     The party denies serving Strahd and the revenant is visibly relieved, inviting them to approach so that it may "get a closer look at them." It introduces itself as a knight of the Order of the Silver Dragon, but claims to have long forgotten its name in life.
     Seeing the group's weapons, it asks if they actively oppose the lord of Castle Ravenloft. Proving thier animosity for the vampire lord, the revenant advises them to travel to Argynvostholt to the east, where Sir Godfrey Gwilym awaits those who would raise their swords against the darkness that lurks in the castle's depths.
    When inquiring about the Order of the Silver Dragon, the revenant reveals only that the Knights of the Order opposed the lord of Ravenloft in life and suggests speaking with Sir Godfrey for more information.
     When asked why it is guarding the bridge, it replies, "Because I raised my voice against my commander and was banished. Now, I stand like my brothers and sisters-in-arms, watching the dark places of this land and awaiting an order that will never come."
     Questioning why it cannot take up arms against Strahd itself, it responds, "Because my commander forbids it, and my spirit is bound from disobeying his will." It names its commander as Sir Vladimir Horngaard but is unwilling to share more about him, advising you to speak with Sir Godfrey instead.
     When they inform the knight that they are traveling to the Wizard of Wines, it warns them that the Forest Folk of Yester Hill have become increasingly agitated lately. Additionally, they have been joined by the children of the Gulthias Tree—a twisted husk atop Yester Hill that spawns "blights" crawling forth from its gnarled roots. The revenant advises them to be wary of the blights, which see without eyes and camouflage themselves among the flora of the wilds.
     When asked about the Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, it reveals only that the "First People" were divided long ago due to tragedy and strife, and their descendants have remained separated ever since. It mentions that the Forest Folk have accepted Strahd von Zarovich as their lord and ruler, while the Mountain Folk continue to adhere to the old ways, worshipping the ancient goddesses who once inhabited the valley.

The Huntress’ Monument

• The road stretches onward as the storm intensifies. Lightning crashes, and a heavy downpour quickly turns the path into a muddy mess.
• The path bends again as the trees begin to pull back from the path's edges.
• Not far from the road, in a small grove of berry-laden bushes, stands an old stone slab just under six feet tall. It rests on an old, cracked stone circle and bears an extremely weatherworn carving.
• Investigating the slab, you discern that the carving is of a wolf over an engraved three-pointed star.
• The slab is an ancient monument to the Huntress, and the three-pointed star the symbol of the Ladies Three.

We're Off to See the Wizard

A piercing screech splits the air from the south.
Moments later, it’s answered by a second, similar call from the east—and a third, similar call from the west. As the three shrieks echo across the approach to the vineyard, the party urges their mounts onward galloping at a breakneck pace for the safety of the Winery up ahead.
A figure is seen hailing them from the edge of the woods ahead.
Muriel shouts, "It's Davian!"
The cloaked figure glances upward and its gestures become more urgent, while Muriel urges the players to seek cover.
Beckoning them deeper into the woods the figure vanishes into a small grove of beech trees tucked away amidst the woods, their smooth, silvery-gray trunks standing in a ring like ancient sentinels. The canopy above forms a dense, near-unbroken ceiling of foliage, casting the forest floor in an otherworldly shadow.
All around you, the trees' uniform, near-symmetrical branches reach upward like slender arms toward the sky. Dozens of ravens sit perched upon them, their dark eyes watching silently as you approach.
The figure is nowhere to be seen, but a well-disguised trapdoor has been pulled open at the center of the clearing, exposing a wooden ladder that descends down a shaft in the earth.
As you enter the clearing, the storm turns to a drenching downpour, lightning flashing and thunder rolling overhead.
Muriel doesn’t recognize the trapdoor or the ladder. The cloaked man’s head pokes up out of the trapdoor, and he grunts, “Do you want to get punctured to death, you fools? Get down here before they see you, for goodness’ sake—and close the door behind you." He then descends back down the ladder.
Tethering the horses in the clearing, you descend the wooden ladder, each step echoing faintly in the enclosed space as the rungs creak beneath your weight. Overhead, heavy raindrops drum against the closed trapdoor with a relentless rhythm, the muffled sound of booming thunder echoing far above. Rivulets of rainwater run down the damp stone walls around you, pooling in a sloshing, watery pit thirty feet below.
Halfway down the shaft, the walls open up into a small stone cavern, its rough walls damp and glistening. Lanterns hang from iron hooks that jut out from the walls, their flickering flames filling the space with the warm glow of candlelight. The perimeter of the cavern hosts a collection of crates and sacks, which appear to have been kept in relatively good condition. A tunnel stretches away from the south wall of the cave, a thin layer of mist clinging to its floor as it vanishes into darkness.
Bedrolls and blankets are strewn across the rough cavern floor, occupied by an assortment of adults and children. Two men bearing a striking resemblance to Urwin Martikov lean against the western wall—the elder with dark hair tinged slightly with gray, and the younger bearing softer features and a mop of brownish hair.
A woman kneels beside a pair of young boys not far away, her angular features framed by locks of chestnut hair. A bald, broad-shouldered man with a darker complexion sits beside her, cradling an infant sleeping peacefully in his arms. A teenager showing a blend of the man and woman's features sits with his knees held to his chest a few feet beyond, a half-whittled stick clutched in his hands.
The cloaked figure stands at the head of the group, the cowl of his cloak lowered to reveal the features of a man in his elder years. His gray, suspicious eyes scowl back at you, framed by strands of silver-gray hair that cascade down to his shoulders from the receding hairline along his scalp. His face is bronzed and weathered, and the wrinkles above his eyebrows split his forehead like furrowed troughs.
The patched green cloak he wears has clearly seen better days, but appears to have been proudly decorated with clusters of raven's feathers meticulously sewn into the cowl and shoulders, as well as a menagerie of nearly a dozen old pewter medallions and trinkets that have been haphazardly stitched into the fabric. His weight leans against an old wooden cane, its wide surface carved with intricate patterns of grapes and vines, and his thick fingers tap impatiently against its edge.
The two men resembling Urwin Martikov are Adrian and Elvir Martikov, respectively. The woman is Stefania Martikov and the man beside her is Dag Tomescu, her husband. The two boys are Martin and Viggo, the infant is Yolanda, and the teenager is Claudiu. The cloaked man is Davian Martikov.
Davian greets Muriel with obvious familiarity, then gruffly asks the players to identify themselves and explain their presence. Informed that the party has been sent by Urwin Martikov, Davian snorts and scoffs at “the audacity of that lout."

Davian’s Request

• Three days before you received Urwin’s request, four druids of the Forest Folk invaded the Wizard of Wines and drove the Martikovs out. Davian and his family have hidden themselves away in this secret cavern ever since.
• The druids are accompanied by several dozen blights, created by the Gulthias Tree upon Yester Hill, as well as three greater strix created by the swamp-witch, Baba Lysaga, who dwells in Berez. The strix have been patrolling the skies, preventing the Martikovs from escaping.
• Davian isn’t entirely sure why the druids attacked the winery, why they’re still inside, or why Baba Lysaga is assisting them.
• Pressing for further clarification suggests that Davian might know more than he’s letting on, but he steadfastly refuses to explain further beyond noting that, “Yester Hill isn’t far from here. The Forest Folk have been terrible neighbors for years, and we haven’t been shy about letting them know that. Looks like this is their revenge."
• Further pressure reveals that he’s not telling the entire truth; challenged, Davian responds by irritatedly promising to give the players his family’s “whole damn ledger" if they get rid of the Forest Folk first.

Davian eventually welcomes the party’s help in defeating the druids and shares the following additional information:

• There are four druids, eight needle blights, eight vine blights, and more than a few dozen twig blights in the winery. The skies above the winery are guarded by three patrolling greater strix, and the vineyard is guarded by too many needle blights to count.
• The leader of the druids bears a strange magical staff, which appears to be the source of the blights’ strength and the means by which the druids are controlling them. If you can obtain the staff and break it, the hordes of blights in the vineyard (as well as any other blights in the winery) would likely be greatly weakened, if not killed outright.
• The safest route into the Wizard of Wines is an underground tunnel that leads from this cavern and exits through a secret door into the winery’s cellar. From there, you will need to sneak or fight their way up until you find the druid with the magical staff.

Elvir’s Rage

When Davian has finished the debrief, Claudiu mutters—just loudly enough to be heard—“What does it matter? They’re just going to die, anyway."
Stefania scolds Claudiu, and orders him to apologize to the party. (She glances toward you and immediately apologizes for her son’s behavior.)
Elvir loudly agrees that you are wasting your time, and there’s no possibility that you’ll be strong enough to defeat “the vampire’s" servants. He gives you a baleful glare, as though challenging you to disagree.
Adrian attempts to calm Elvir, insisting that, “this isn’t like Elric." Elvir snarls at Adrian, “Don’t say his name!", and Davian shouts at all of his children to be silent, vowing that he “will not suffer disobedience again in this household."
Elvir snaps back, insisting that Davian “drove Elric away, just like he did Urwin." Davian’s face colors bright red, and he shouts, “Enough!"
Elvir snarls, turns, and sits cross-legged in a damp alcove away from the rest of the family, facing a wall. Stefania and Adrian move to flank Davian and engage him in hushed whispers, both looking stricken.
You notice that Claudiu looks pale and vaguely guilty, and that Muriel’s complexion has taken on an ashen pallor, her face becoming a mask of unreadable stone.

The Son-in-Law Sheds Some Light

• As the family splinters, Dag approaches and greets you with a sheepish grin. In a low voice, he apologizes for his in-laws’ behavior, and promises that they’re good people “once you get to know them."
• Ten years ago, someone stole something valuable from the winery while Urwin Martikov was keeping watch. Davian blamed Urwin for the theft, convinced that he’d been fooling around with his betrothed, Danika Dorakova, instead of paying attention. Davian and Urwin had a furious fight the following morning, which ended with Urwin departing the winery for Vallaki. Urwin hasn’t returned since, and Davian never recovered the thing that was stolen, nor did he ever find the culprit. (Asked what was stolen, Dag says only that it was a gemstone—a prized family heirloom, and one of Davian’s most treasured possessions.)
• Just over three months ago, Elric Martikov, Elvir’s twin brother and Muriel’s betrothed, joined a rebellion in the village of Barovia that marched on Castle Ravenloft. Elric had always been bright-eyed and optimistic—a dreamer who believed in a better future for his loved ones. Davian forebade him from going, and ordered Elric never to return when he disobeyed. Davian’s words came true—Elric died in the castle, and his death shattered the Martikov family once again.
• Claudiu was especially close to his two youngest uncles, and Elric most of all. He and Elvir haven’t taken Elric’s death well, with both falling into a kind of melancholic despair and Elvir lashing out at anyone who gets on his bad side.
• Muriel confirms in a raw, quiet whisper that Elric “inspired us all," but that she—and Elric’s family—have had to learn to get by without him. She then excuses herself and moves to sit beside Elvir.

Into the Tunnel

• Davian and Stefania approach the party. Davian apologizes to the players for Elvir’s behavior, and—at Stefania’s gentle chiding—his own outburst as well.
• Davian imparts some final information before the winery infiltration:
• First, he shares that the tunnel that leads into the cellar passes through a cavern filled with brown mold, which the Martikovs use to keep the wine stored in the cellar cool. Davian advises you to stick to the path through the center of the mold, and not to approach, attack, or touch the mold lest it harm them.
• Second, Davian warns that the druids can conjure the force of thunder to defeat their enemies. If you fail to swiftly defeat any individual druid they come across, the sound of their thunder might alert the others, summoning them to defend the first. (Davian is reasonably confident, however, that the sound of the storm should help to cover up the sounds of any ordinary combat.)
• Third, Davian reminds you that the winery is an old structure built of wood. Davian imports you all to not set it on fire by mistake “like a bloody flaming fool."
• Davian also informs you of the existence of an emergency cache that he kept in the winery, but wasn’t able to retrieve before the druids drove them out. The cache, which is hidden in the barrel nearest the northwest corner in a storage room on the main floor of the winery, contains healing supplies and other items that you might find useful. (Davian doesn’t remember exactly what he left in the cache, but invites you to keep its full contents for yourselves...assuming, of course, that the druids haven’t found and raided it already.)

(4:00 PM)

Brown Mold

• Muriel approaches you and wishes you all luck. (She won’t be accompanying you into the winery, having decided to remain in the cavern to protect the Martikovs should any trouble arise.)
• The tunnel marches silently through the earth, a thin veil of mist clinging to the ground as it delves deeper into the darkness.
• The further you travel, the colder it gets, your breath misting on the air. Moisture pooling in the tunnel's nooks and crannies gradually gives way to patches of ice, their brittle surfaces splintering and crunching under your boots.
• The tunnel soon opens into a shallow, freezing cavern. Thick brown mold carpets the walls, floor, and ceiling, its expanse interrupted only by a narrow dirt path that cuts across the floor to a dark stone archway at the opposite end.
• The archway gives way to a stonework tunnel, which seemingly terminates at a blank brick wall fifteen feet beyond.
• Brown mold has filled this cramped corridor, with more recent growths covering the floor, walls, and ceiling around it—except in one place. A short way down the tunnel, a small wooden box covered with old, peeling paint hangs from a rusted iron hook. The box is painted a pale, frigid blue, and has the design of a snowflake carved into its side. A six-inch bare patch covers the wall around the box, with nary a spore of mold nearby.

Vincenzo throws a torch down the corridor a short way and...well...we'll see...

Barovia

Svalich Woods

Path to Argynvostholt

Path where Mountain Folk woman was spotted

Raven River Crossroads

Huntress' Monument

Wizard of Wines

Brown Mold Cavern

Box on Wall in Passageway

Report Date

11 May 2024

Primary Location

Svalich Road

Secondary Location

Wizard of Wines

Related Characters

• Davian Martikov
• Mountainfolk
• Muriel Vinshaw
• Revenant

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The Spiked Pit Trap

• An encounter between the Raven River Bridge and The Huntress' Monument...
• As the dirt road winds through the woods southward towards the winery, the path narrows, framed by ancient, twisted trees whose gnarled branches form a thick canopy overhead.
• Dappled gray light struggles to pierce through, casting eerie shadows that flicker and dance with the slightest breeze. A musky, earthy aroma fills the air—the scent of rotting leaves, damp soil, and the faint tang of decay.
• The vegetation here is denser than the main road, and several low-hanging branches are draped with clumps of vines that weave a tangled tapestry across the undergrowth. A thick blanket of twigs and pine needles crunches beneath your boots, their low sounds the only noise amidst the silent path.
• Muriel whispers that something isn’t right, noting that the road “didn’t smell like death" the last time she passed through here.
• Forced to dismount as the path becomes too crowded for horseback...when suddenly...
• The ground gives way as the two big men, Ilyson and Verce fall into a trap, sustaining injuries at the bottom of a camoflauged pit lined with spikes.
• Verce saves himself from further damage by quickly sprouting his spectral wings and flying up over the pit's edge, witnessing his comrades fighting off the underbrush which is coming alive and slowly reaching out with vine-like appendages.
• The party valiantly battles through these foes and continue on their way as the storm gathers strength.

Muriel Vinshaw

Mountain Folk

Revenant on Raven River Bridge

Davian Martikov and Family

Martikov Family Tree