not-so-newguy
Legend
Day 19 – Day 24
DAY 19 (evening continued): The sentient pommel of the Sun Sword urged Elyrion to seek out a nearby pond, but The Gang decided that the matter could wait until morning. They slept in a dilapidated bunkroom located above the imprisoned Mongrelfolk.
DAY 20(early morning): The Gang promised the Abbot to return with the wedding dress for his Tatyana-Flesh-Golem. After breakfast they sought out this pond that the Sun Sword kept blabbering about. The pond was located within Krezk near its northern wall and the source of clean water for the entire community. Locals going through their daily routine witnessed Elyrion step near the pond and a ghost with an aura of sunlight emerged from the water.
The apparition was Sergei Von Zarovich, deceased brother of Strahd. A conversation followed with Elyrion. He deemed the elven rogue worthy of wielding the Sun Sword. Attunement with the Sun Sword can only be gained with the Ghost’s approval, otherwise it’s just a sword pommel. He also gave them the history of Strahd.
A brief history of Strahd
- Strahd was a count, a prince, a soldier, and conqueror.
- His life was chiefly driven by a desire for revenge against his father’s enemies.
- He drove them into a high mountain valley and vanquished them. He renamed the region Barovia after his father Barov.
- With the help of wizards, he created Castle Ravenloft and named it after his mother Ravenovia.
- Strahd, fearing death, makes a pact with the Dark Powers in the Amber Temple.
- Mom reluctantly visited Strahd. She died on the way there.
- Sergei, Strahd’s younger brother and favored son of Ravenovia, moved in with Strahd. He met Tatyana, a local Barovian mayor’s daughter, and fell in love. Strahd coveted her.
- Sergei and Tatyana decided to get married.
- On the wedding day, Strahd killed Sergei, drank his blood, and sealed the pact with the Dark Powers of the Amber Temple. He pursued Tatyana throughout Ravenloft declaring his love to her. She hurled herself from the castle’s balcony.
- His own soldiers turned against him and shot Strahd with arrows. This would have killed him if he were still human. But the pact was sealed, and he was a vampire now. In pure rage, he slaughtered everyone in Castle Ravenloft that day.
- Strahd sealed his family in crypts within Ravenloft in grief.
- Barovia and its inhabitants ceased to exist in the mountains north of Karameikos. They no longer existed in Mystara at all. The land had become a pocket domain existing somewhere within the ethereal, between worlds.
- Strahd has been the jailor of his own prison ever since.
Day 20: The Gang went back to Vallaki and bullied the Burgermeister into giving them his wife’s wedding dress. Then returned to Krezk and gave it to the Abbot. The Abbot promised to cast Raise Dead for them.
Day 21: They went to Vallaki again. Bought a variety of potions from the local apothecary. Everything was 50gp, regardless of its stated powers. The Gang bought potions of healing, holy water, anti-charms, and maybe more. I told them to put little asterisks next to those potions in their inventory. Because they’re extra awesome. Yep, super powerful.
Day 22: The Gang went to Castle Ravenloft via Strahd’s stagecoach. It was anticlimactic, but The Gang did learn a little of what they’re up against. They only explored several rooms, but the first one had four red dragon wyrmlings lounging above. So that was nice. Strahd unceremoniously cut the dinner short since Moss was not there. They agreed to meet within a week.
[DM’s note: The player of Moss couldn’t make it that session and he’s important to this meeting. Also, I realized that I am unprepared to run this section. I need to map it and reread it.]
Day 23: The Gang returned to Vallaki, bougth cold weather gear, then they traveled to the Wizard of Wines. They spoke to Davian and got information on the Amber Temple and Tsolenka Pass.
Davian’s knowledge: Davian knew that the Kavani Tribe lived there. Unlike the Yester Hill Tribe, the Kavani do not worship Strahd. They mostly stayed hidden from others but have been known to ambush travelers on occasion. They can be cannibalistic. They lived in the foothills of Mount Ghakis but made pilgrimages to the Amber Temple. They have a legend of a Roc that lives near the peak of Mount Ghakis.
Day 24: The Gang left the winery for the Amber Temple but first they needed to travel through the foothills of Mount Ghakis where it was perpetually winter. The main feature of this area is Tsolenka Pass which features a gatehouse, guard tower, and bridge. [Significant changes here from the book]
The gatehouse had a closed portcullis with a curtain of green fire behind it. Mounted on top of the structure were two gargoyles. Directly behind the gatehouse is the guard tower, and hundreds of feet further down the road and out of view was the bridge.
The Gang approached the tower, the gargoyles animated and attacked. The gargoyles were easily defeated. The Gang climbed the wall to avoid the green fire. They decided to explore the guard tower.
Ground Floor: This was a long-abandoned hearth room. A shield bearing a silver dragon and two matching stone dragon statuettes were discovered. A crate held 20 silvered arrows and silvered chains.
Upper Floor: A cage in the center of the room with a werewolf chained to the floor with silvered chains. A desk with parchment. Everything seemed newer here in comparison to the rest of the area. The parchment contained notes; it seemed like someone was performing sadistic experiments that involved testing the pain threshold of the werewolf chained to the floor.
They talked to the weakened lycanthrope. His name was Emil and he was part of the pack of werewolves living in Barovia. Here was his story:
For centuries, the werewolves lived independently from Strahd. Recently, the old pack leader, Skennis, decided to step down. The new leader was Kiril, who soon after decided to swear allegiance to Strahd. In return for their obedience, the Werewolves, just like the Vistani, were allowed to leave Barovia whenever they wished.
Kiril decided to expand the pack by capturing children, forcing them to fight to the death, and then adopting the survivor into the pack. Many of the pack grumbled but said nothing. Emil did not stay silent and openly confronted Kiril. Emil was defeated and forced into captivity of Ludmilla, one of the “brides of Strahd.” She transported him to Tsolenka Pass where she has been performing sadistic experiments on him.
Boots thudded overhead, followed by a wolf's low growl. “She’s here,” Emil’s whispered, his face stricken with dread. “And she brought Woofie.”
Woofie walked down the stairs. His lower half had the bipedal legs of a werewolf hybrid. His upper half looked to be a dozen or so grotesque experiments successfully grafted together. Most notable was the large, poisoned scorpion stinger rising from the hump on its back.
Ludmilla appeared at the top of the stairs, her stern face a mask of hardened rage. “This foolish pact of Strahd ends here.” She moved forward with fangs and claws growing longer and sharper.
Elyrion rushed forward, willing the Sun Blade into existence. The Radiant light of the blade met Ludmilla’s enraged face, her expression changed to surprise, then to fear and pain as the holy light burned her visage. She retreated and disappeared up onto the roof of the guard tower.
The Gang made mincemeat of Woofie, then Elyrion rushed up the stairs in pursuit of Ludmilla and found nothing. She had disappeared.
After exploring the rest of the guard tower, the Gang decided to continue forward towards the Amber Temple. Emil refused to go, stating that going to the source of Strahd’s power was surely suicide. Persuasion and cajoling did not affect him. He promised that he would meet the Gang, should they survive, in three days (Day 27) at the crossroads southeast of Krezk, near the Raven River.
The Gang continued and crossed the bridge of Tsolenka Pass. There were huge archways on both sides of the bridge. A graceful dragon statue sat atop the near side of the archway, facing across the bridge. The matching one on the far side was broken; only the talons that clutched the stone arch remained.
After several hours of climbing switchbacks carved into the mountains, the Gang finally reached the frigid peak. They were on an unnaturally flattened plain, 100 yards ahead of them was a squat stone monastery attached to Ghakis Peak. The Peak itself is shaped like Half Dome in Yosemite. Pics for clarification:
END.
