[Actual Play] AD&D 2nd - Ravenloft, House of Strahd Session 9

Ravenloft Session 9

The party mills around in the water, confounded by the Count’s anguish elsewhere in the castle above, annoyed at the undead’s lack of treasure, and the generally lamenting the awful fortnight they’ve been having. Beetlebottom hands out some heals to the injured party, specifically Kolbo and Belzon. The party climbs up the balcony to the thrones overlooking, Thenn giving Kolbo a boost. The black curtain behind the thrones oscillates back and forth ominously and Kolbo pokes the curtain with his 10-foot pole, eventually extending it the full 10 feet only to find something hard behind the curtain. Finally peering through the corner of the curtain, the party finds an empty alcove and a sturdy iron door. The party checks for traps and Thenn listens behind the door, hearing snap, crackle, and pop.

Opening the door, the party finds a chamber with a large, bright brazier in the center, an hourglass overhead and a golden chest to the left, two alcoves on each side with a giant four armed bronze skeleton in each. Gargoyles line the ceiling and the wall opposite the party has three closed iron doors. Belzon steps into the room while the others wait outside, silently moving to inspect the hourglass. He reads to the others, “In the palm of my hand, is the time left to thee, when it is consumed, will the flame set you free.” Belzon inspects the skeletons statues, which almost seem to be watching him, and the gargoyles. Nothing seems threatening. The rest of the party joins him in the room, and that’s when the door behind them slams shut and the sand in the hourglass begins to fall.

The party frantically searches the room for anything that might have triggered or changed. Kolbo approaches the center door on the other sides of the room and tries to force it open - it won’t budge. Thenn listens behind the doors for any sound, but hears nothing, only the blazing fire in the center of the room. Meanwhile, the sand continues to fall. “That brazier probably explodes when time runs out, just like a fireball, if the fire sets us free,” Kolbo ponders aloud, straining to open a door. Grayven looks closer at the skeletons and finds that they have gems in each outstretched hand - a ruby, sapphire, opal, and emerald amongst them. All the while, the sand falls. Belzon offers that maybe the party needs to destroy the gems to be set free. He carefully grabs the sapphire gem from one skeleton’s palm… and nothing happens. He throws the gem into the fire and the hourglass stops as the northeastern most door grinds open. The sapphire reappears in the skeleton’s hand.

Before moving on, Thenn decides to investigate the chest further. He begins to open it and notices a small lever by the inside hinge. Pressing down on it with his dagger, the half-elf thief opens the chest without triggering the trap, only to find an empty wooden bottom. Realizing this is a false bottom, Thenn knocks around on the chest and finds a panel in the back, discovering a deck of tarokka cards, two health potions, and a number of spell scrolls.

The party walks through the northeast door to find a staircase leading up. They walk up for about a hundred feet before Kolbo declares that they’re probably getting too far from their objective. He suggests that they return to the brazier chamber.

The party returns and tried each gem, realizing that the different colors correspond to a different door, the party checks all the doors and proceeds through up the stairwell that appears to take them up only 20 feet. They find a rough cut tunnel, the stonework sickens Kolbo, heading to the east. The party narrowly dodges a false floor trap and then enters the catacombs themselves. Waist deep mist shifts and swirls as the party walks through and the ceiling itself seems to move - the demihumans infravision indicating hundreds of bats. The makes out a few names in the crypt, Countess Dilisnya and Isolde Yunk, and Kolbo wisely suggests to Trayven that they not open any crypts.

The party finds a cold iron portcullis on the northern wall and working together, they lift it and enter a misty tomb. Inside they find they find three alcoves, all with what looks like a woman-raven hybrid standing watch in the far back. Two of the alcoves have a marble coffin, while the third looks as though the coffin was dragged out some time ago. There is a tapestry on the west wall with a young man playing the lute and surrounded by fairies and a unicorn. An inscription on the east wall notes that this is the tomb of Sergei von Zarovich.

Kolbo steps over to the middle coffin and thrusts the cover off with his mighty dwarven strength. It tumbles to the ground revealing it to be empty. Kolbo steps over to the side coffin and begins to push, but the cover won’t budge. Kolbo pants and whispers audibly, “Gosh, what do you want from us!?”

An ethereal voices emanates throughout the chamber, the voice of a young, pained man. “It has been centuries since any have summoned me. Be warned! My brother’s tomb is guarded by powerful magic. Take up yourselves the Bright Blade in my tomb and with pure heart undo the kinslayer.”

Kolbo recalls that tarokka reading from a week ago, and how the reading spoke of Strahd’s brother and the purity he would require. “Only the pure of heart can open this tomb, but I’m not strong enough on my own.”

Belzon steps forward to help Kolbo, and as the elf grabs the coffin cover, an arc of crackling lightning jumps from the tomb, searing his arms. He runs backwards, patting his smoking sleeves - the burns are bad enough that he quaffs the party’s final healing potion.

Thenn and Beetlebottom help Kolbo move the cover, revealing a dusty skeleton in gleaming, perfectly clean plate mail. Resting across it’s chest is a broken lute and a golden sword hilt, with no blade. Kolbo curses aloud as he picks up the hilt - all this effort and exploration for nothing. He sets the hilt down on the side of the coffin and begins to remove the plate mail for Ioana.

The hilt begins to oscillate, and shake. It springs off the coffin and flies towards Thenn, replacing the hilt of his own sheathed sword. The half-elf draws the blade - the once dull steel now revealing the pale blue glow of glasteel. Thenn had the sunsword blade the whole time…

Fully equipped, the party decides to achieve their second objective before confronting Strahd - destroying the black heart beating in one of Ravenloft’s tall spires. The party back tracks and takes a winding spiral staircase up for over a hundred feet. They walk through a door to find a study filled with books, couches, and a blazing hearth. In the corner is a rotting corpse just barely standing. Belzon sneaks over and backstabs the zombie - but it keeps standing. The elf notices a gold chain around its neck and removes the amulet. The corpse collapses to the ground, relieved of its burden, and Belzon inspects the amulet, finding a red gem, symbols of truth and light, and a sun blazing motif. The party decides that Thenn should wear the amulet.

Rifling through the stacks of paper, the heroes find a few documents of note - a balok translation of the Great War’s history by someone known only as “S,” as well as a genealogic tree of those descended from a Sturm von Zarovich.

The party continues through the southern door and finds a cobweb filled dining room. In the center of the table is a lopsided, rotten wedding cake with only a bride atop it. The party heads east and finds another spiral staircase to ascend.

The party walks onto a landing a finds a portrait of a portly bearded man staring back at them. The portrait’s jowls roll as he says, “You aren’t supposed to be here.” A rainbow spray of color shoots out from his mouth, incapacitating everyone but Trayven. The half-elf looks around shocked and starts throwing his darts at the portrait. The portly man yelps with pain and then calls out, “Strahd, you have intruders.” The portrait makes another gesture and Trayven is held in place.

The portrait just stairs at the heroes for a few minutes and tries to make idle conversation, “How many portraits does it take to screw in a light bulb.”

Thenn and Belzon awaken before the portrait can finish the incantation of another color spray and quickly eviscerate the painting. Kolbo soon awakens and the hold on Trayven is broken. The party hears the soft tap of footsteps walking up the staircase behind them.

The party flings open the door to their left to throw off their pursuer, seeing a bedroom before they dash up the stairs. The sound of footsteps follows.

On the next landing, Belzon throws open the door to see what’s inside, finding a room with shattered furniture and claw marks all over. Trayven says, “Noooooope,” and the party runs up the next flight of stairs. The sound of footsteps follows.

The party ascends to the top of a watersoaked tower, thunder roaring and sheets of rain pelting the heroes. Thenn and Kolbo recognize the towertop from their last expedition to Castle Ravenloft - the heart of darkness is just ahead, across the bridge in the other tower. The sound to footsteps draws closer.

The party scrambles into the dry safety of the next tower, the patter of rain replaced by the sound of a beating heart. The party’s rings of continuous light dim significantly as they enter. Before the heart can do anything treacherous, Belzon dashes up the stairs and quaffs his entire potion of fire breath. As he exhales, a stream of searing fire shoots forth, shriveling the squealing heart.

On the top of the other tower, Kolbo, Thenn, and Trayven watch as Count Strahd ascends the final step. Lightning reveal his grimacing face, “What are you doing?”

Session Loot: The Sunsword!, Sergei’s Armor, a tarokka deck with alchemical and magick glyphs on the box, 2 healing potions, scrolls of protection from magic, raise dead, restoration, flame strike, and dispel evil.

Session XP: 28,000

[Actual Play] AD&D 2nd - Ravenloft, House of Strahd Session 8

Ravenloft Session 8

One week remains until the adventurers return to Castle Ravenloft, this time by invitation to Strahd and Ireena’s wedding. The party gathers supplies and equipment, lengths of silk rope and rations funded by Kolbo and Thenn. They also try to find armor and magic weapons in the village, but neither the general store nor the blacksmith could provide anything. With the poisonous ring of mist gone from the village perimeter, the adventurers ponder leaving for another village, but realize they would not have enough time to return for the wedding.

As the sun begins to lower, the party is confronted by Ismark the Lesser, Ireena’s brother, outside the general store. He approaches fuming, demanding to know where his sister is. Upon learning of her deal with the devil Strahd, he becomes pensive. “When is the wedding? Perhaps I can turn this to my advantage…” he asks the adventuring party. Kolbo and Trayven are flabbergasted, “How could you side with the Count, he’s a monster!” Ismark back petals and explains that the party are rebels and he’s just a law abiding citizen who should be made burgomeister. Trayven raises his quarterstaff and knocks Ismark in the head. And keeps going. Bloods splatters on the street as Ismark coughs. The villagers close their shutters. Trayven looks down at his rage fueled handy work and sees glaring red eyes staring back at him from the blood. No one else in the party sees a thing.

The party stops Trayven and Beetlebottom, concerned about Ismark’s injuries, sprints to the village temple in search of Brother Donovon. The doors open with a crash and the Witch of Hala finds the Priest of the Morninglord lounging in the pews, sipping his ritual wine. Grabbing the priest, Beetlebottom drags the human back to heal Ismark. He does and the young man glares at the adventurers before storming off. Kolbo ponders how many enemies they’re probably making in the village and suggests the party skip town until the wedding. Instead, Brother Donovon invites the party to stay in his temple. There he confides that he has been ordered by Count Strahd to conduct the wedding ceremony.

The adventurers dedicate the next six days to planning their attack. Kolbo suggests that they have three options: Attend the wedding as Strahd intends for them to, head straight to the heart of darkness beating in the tower and destroy it, or find Strahd’s brother’s tomb and with it the magic sword. While at first Baroness Ioana argues that the party should attend the ceremony, the party unanimously agrees to search for the Sunsword.

The march up the mountain to Castle Ravenloft takes hours, but the party arrives a half hour before the ceremony begins. They notice significant repairs to the drawbridge and even Marvin’s blood was (mostly) cleaned up from the front entrance. As they step inside the grand entrance, the party finds a few guests at a table checking their weapons. Strahd’s bumbling servant, the same one that offered them terms before the Battle of Castle Ravenloft, stands at the table writing tickets for each weapon. We he asks the party to hand over their weapons, Kolbo simply laughs in his face. The servant gives them a confounded look, “But ya can’t go in there armed like that, it’ll make the other guests nervous.” Lady Ioana tries to sweet talk him, but doesn’t have much basis for argument. Kolbo suggests that the party step outside to discuss the situation.

The party begins going over their magical options when Belzon offers to take care of Strahd’s servant. He doesn’t give any further details before walking back inside. Approaching the servant, who introduces himself as Cyrus, Belzon asks for directions to the restroom. “Ah, it’s tough to get there, I’ll need to show you the way,” the old man says. Cyrus takes Belzon upstairs and through a number of secret passageways before the come to a large spiral staircase. Before Cyrus can take him further, Belzon shoves the servant of the edge and a wet crunch echos from below. A shiver runs up Belzon’s spine and he walks away without looking down at the body.

The party gathers again at the grand entrance and begins their trek downwards. They descend for a time until they come to a landing with a short hallway. The party steps forward in marching order and Thenn feels a slight, sudden depression in the floor. With lightning speed, gilded portculli descend on either side of Thenn and Kolbo, and they notice from a tall shaft above them that the sound of winding gears and pulleys emanates. The elevator must be descending on them. Kolbo struggles to bends the bars but to no avail, the Baroness searches frantically for any levers or triggers. Finally, with the elevator barreling down, Kolbo, Ioana, Thenn, and Grayven combine their strength to thrust up the portculli and evade the crushing force of the descending stone. When the elevator finally reaches the floor, the other portculli opens. The party steps forward to the door at the end of the hall, but when they hear bubbling on the other side and see mist creep in when they open the door, they firmly shut it and head back to the stairs.

Descending again, the party reaches the bottom of the spiral staircase and finds a water filled hallway. A soft cry for help comes from the the right door in the hallway. Kolbo takes out his 10 foot pole and carefully moves forward, looking for any pressure plate traps like they found above. He does, finding a loose plate ahead of him. Thenn moves ahead to disable the trap and trips another pressure plate. He vanishes in an explosion of water. The party scrambles to figure out what happened. They cry out Thenn’s name.

Thenn opens his eyes and is in complete darkness, standing upright in chest deep water. His darkvision reveals a small confined cell, with it’s only exit the silhouette of a rusted iron gate. It appears locked and impossible to pick from the inside. After getting his bearings, Thenn hears the distant voice of Beetlebottom calling his name. He responds in kind.

The rest of the party hears Thenn’s reply from a doorway down the hall to the left. Even more carefully than before, the adventurers slowly approach the door, evading pressure plates with careful use of the 10-foot pole. They find an iron door down a few steps, half submerged underwater. Entering, the party walks a gauntlet of waterlogged prison cells - some with corpses and others with sparkling gold. In the last on the left they find a waterlogged Thenn.

The party unlocks one of the cells and grabs a handful of platinum coins each, leaving the other treasure locked up. Kolbo also notices a strange amulet in one of the piles of coins - one shaped like a hand with an eye in its palm. He grabs it with his 10-foot pole.

The party then crosses the hall to investigate the cry for help. Walking through the other door, the adventurers find a similar filled dungeon. In the last cell on the left, the party discovers a shivering peasant, mold growing in his beard. The party instantly grills the peasant - “who are you?” “Why are you here?” “Why aren’t you dead like all the villagers.” The peasant, Ivan, reveals that he was kidnapped a few weeks ago by Count Strahd but hasn’t seen his liege lord since. Only a lone porter comes to visit him occasionally with food. The adventurers set Ivan free and, while they don’t say he can’t stay with them, suggest that he make his own exit up the spiral staircase to the east. Ivan scampers off.

The party goes back to the main hallway and advanced forward, dodging two more pressure plates. Their rings enchanted with continuous light illuminate a large room up ahead - a large den of unspeakable evil. Within they see a blood stained rack, a black vice with the skeleton still inside and to the right a balcony, where two figures in thrones sit and watch.

The skeleton on the black vice is the first to reveal its unlife, clattering to the watery floor and stumbling towards Kolbo. Beetlebottom steps forward first and brandishes his holy symbol of Hala, sending the three approaching skeletons cower in the corners or behind torture devices but Strahd’s zombies  jumping down from the balcony seem unperturbed. The initial melee is fierce, with two zombies tearing loose Kolbo’s breastplate and and sinking their nauseating claws into his flesh. Lady Ioana moves to support, while both Belzon and Thenn drive back another zombie on the left. Grayven stays behind in the hallway when he hears a howl from the stairway behind him. The melee continues, but Grayven pushes through the impromptu shield wall, turning around just in time to see an upright wolf charging through the water at him and his friends. Drawing a silken web from his spellpouch, Grayven crushes it into a ball and throws it into the long hallway, producing a 40-foot thick web and constricting the man-wolf in the furthest reach of it. The giant wolf creature howls, breaking free and retreating back to the stairs.

The last undead falls to Lady Ioana’s blade and the heroes take a moment’s respite. Elsewhere in the castle, the Count’s gives out a booming cry of anguish, echoing down to even the deepest dungeon...

Session Loot: 600 gp and an amulet taken from the dungeon

Session XP: 1200

[Actual Play] AD&D 2nd - Ravenloft, House of Strahd Session 7

This week our intrepid heroes take a step away from the AD&D basic rules and experience the AD&D Battlesystem for tactical mass combat. The overall reviews of the system were negative, but it got the job done as the adventurers finally laid siege to Castle Ravenloft...

Ravenloft Session 7

The last glow of the sun barely crept through the clouds as Lady Ioana met her cohorts in the Blood of the Vine tavern. Trayven and Kolbo are pouring over Grayven’s old spellbook whilst Beetlebottom and Belzon make final preparations for the siege. Ioana approaches the group and informs them of Strahd’s offer - an offer of peace in exchange of Ireena Kolyana’s hand in marriage. Kolbo and Beetlebottom are concerned that Ioana may be possessed or charmed somehow, but the noblewoman appears free of magical effect. Trayven absolutely will not give up Ireena, and Belzon is concerned that she may be turned into an undead as well. Kolbo agrees but doesn’t know how the process works… something about level draining.

The party begins discussing how their assault might change with this information - particularly since the tarokka cards indicated that Ireena must be Strahd’s primary goal. Ultimately, the party agrees that Sheriff Ireena must come with them to lead the levy, but Beetlebottom, the Hala cleric, will remain close to her in battle.

The next day, the Barovian levy marches out at dawn. After a few hours on the old Svalich road, climbing the winding fir-lined ascent to Castle Ravenloft, the army approaches a disheveled rider on a mangy pony on the road. The rider can hardly keep his eyes open with exhaustion as the adventurers step forward to parley. The rider sets forth the Count’s terms: “Leave and you may live.” Kolbo declares that their course is set and the army continues its march on the castle.

Sheriff Ireena and the heroes divide their levy into 5 regiments - 3 of Abber nomads and 2 of Barovian war veterans - and gives each regiment a bailey bridge segment to carry to the chasm. As the army finally comes into view of Castle Ravenloft, everything looks quiet. The drawbridge is upright, leaving a sheer cliff with a 1000 foot drop between the heroes and the castle. The characters march up the center road, with their strongest force of 60 Abbers, 30 Barovians, and the village constables on their right flank. A smaller force of 30 Barovians hug the hill on the left flank. Master Engineer Kobin and his crew pull the enlarged organ cannon up the main road and set it to fire directly at Castle Ravenloft approximately 390 feet away. As the siege weapon is set, the castle’s defenders awaken.

The drawbridge begins to lower, rusty chains clanking slowly. Kobin fires a volley hoping to destroy the drawbridge before any enemies can cross. Most of the volley falls short, but one large cannonball tears through the rotten planks as another one grazes the side. From the castle, dozens of shambling forms march across the bridge. Ethereal beings swoop out of the walls of the garrison towers, engaging Belzon who had been scouting forward. The ghost’s semi-corporeal grasps strike through Belzon’s armor and though he wasn’t physically injured, his cheeks grow hollow from the ordeal and a few wisps of hair turn grey. Belzon shoots with his bow as the ghosts approach and tries to fend them off with his sword, but without the aid of magic, he flees.

Behind the Barovian army, from the freshly churned earth that had just crossed, dozens of the dead claw their way to the surface and a pack of wolves approach from the thick forest.

The Barovian veterans advance cautiously forward while the Abber nomads and constables drop their bridge segments to fall back to defend the cannon. Ioana and Kolbo advance on the right flank while Ireena and Beetlebottom stay in the middle. Beetlebottom spies the wolves from his vantage point and with his ring of mammal control causes a number of wolves to turn on their brethren. The organ cannon sets its sights on Strahd’s zombies approaching on the drawbridge… and jams. The hot shots in the enlarged cannon are stuck and will take several minutes to safely clear. Kobin is a sitting duck until then.

The Barovian veterans notice something strange with the ground as the approach the garrison towers. As they stop short of the disturbed earth, giant spiders burst forth from a web filled pit. Only a few are able to engage the levy troops - Belzon’s sheaf arrows slash across the battlefield, killing five spider as they try to clamor out. The barovian mercenaries on the other flank engage the ghosts. It’s a brutal melee - a dozen human soldiers have the life drained out of them, falling to the ground as imbecilic old men. But one of the soldiers brandishes his longsword, a family heirloom that must have been enchanted long ago. He cuts down half a dozen ghosts in return, before he himself falls victim.

Lady Ioana and Trayven notice something else - dark shapes flying off the walls of Castle Ravenloft, descending out of sight in the chasm below. These two adventurers, as well as Kolbo, advance around the right flank’s garrison tower to hold the west approach from the draw bridge. Lady Ioana’s arrows miss their mark, forcing Kolbo to engage five of Strahd’s strongest zombies alone. Other zombies on the drawbridge advance, flanking the remaining Barovians on the left.

In the rear, Belzon looses arrow after arrow at the approaching wolves, killing the few that try to charge Kobin’s cannon. The Abber nomads brace themselves and the zombies approach slowly with deadly intent. The first rank of nomads fall to the advancing horde and the constables don’t fare better.  Kobin pries free the last cannonball and empties the bad powder, scrambling to get his cannon back up and running.

Gargoyles scream up from the chasm and barrel downwards towards Ioana. She scrambles to loose arrows at them, but the hasty shots miss. Trayven, however, was prepared for the charge. Plucking a dusty web from his spell pouch, the half-elf wizard lets loose a sticky web, catching a number of gargoyles as they crest the cliff. The gargoyles fall to their doom. Ioana engages the remaining gargoyles with her magic longsword, cutting down two and receiving a brutal forehead gash in return. Kolbo finishes off the zombies in front him, clearing the way to the drawbridge. In a moment of desperation, he calls out to his companions, “Leave the army, we’ll charge Castle Ravenloft ourselves!”

The Barovians on the left flank valiantly defend themselves against the charge of zombies and ghosts. A group of nomad mercenaries counter charge the rear of the zombies, striking down a number. The Barovians are grateful for the relief, but more fall to the ghosts’ chill touch.

The pitched rearguard battle fairs less well. While Kobin finally readies his canon, Ireena and Beetlebottom destroy flanking zombies with pistol and faith respectively. But the main horde of zombies continue their advance and the Abber mercenaries are a weak breakwater against their tide.

Ireena Kolyana, elected Sheriff of Barovia, watches in horror as her constables are torn asunder and the Abber rearguard are crushed beneath the feet of relentless undead. Her countrymen are not much better in the front. The battle, to her, is lost, and she must save whom she can. The commander dashes to the front and cries out to Castle Ravenloft, “Strahd, I surrender, you can have me if you spare these people!”

Strahd’s army stops, cautiously disengaging from the heroes and their levy. A voice booms from Ravenloft’s highest tower, “Very well.” Lady Ioana Gundar smiles to herself.

Kolbo and Trayven start forming a plan on the fly. “We can’t let this monster win,” the dwarf declares. “Maybe we can sneak in with her?” the wizard ponders. As the adventurers form up around Ireena to escort her in, the voice booms down again. “Ireena must enter alone.”

The adventurers are torn. Kolbo firmly will not let her go, but Ioana encourages the sheriff to save her people. Trayvon quietly stands at the foot of the drawbridge, reviewing his magical options. Belzon suggests that maybe the party can return to the castle and save Ireena later, firmly against fighting Strahd’s army further. Kolbo asks how they would ever be able to return - Strahd won’t lower the drawbridge for them. Beetlebottom finally interjects - they fought their battle and they lost. He isn’t prepared to become a martyr. Trayven steps forward and asks how the party can trust Strahd and Kolbo offers that the vampire lord will simply kill them once he has what he wants. Ioana attempts to vouch for Strahd.

Unconvinced, Trayven steps forward and shouts towards Castle Ravenloft, asking how their party can trust Strahd. The Count replies, “I am the law of this land and I can be trusted. I will uphold my previous terms, leave with your army and you will live. But Ireena stays.”

Trayven and Kolbo escort Ireena to the castle gate, Trayven palming a feather from his spell pouch palmed just in case. He whispers to Kolbo that they could grab Ireena and jump. Yards behind, Belzon knocks an arrow, ready to strike down the half-elf wizard if he does anything rash. Ireena turns to the distraught Kolbo and anxious Trayven. With a stern yet caring voice she tells them, “This is my choice, to save my people. I’m willing to make this sacrifice.” The companions say nothing in reply and Ireena enters Castle Ravenloft, an army of the undead streaming in behind her.

The companions gather the remaining troops and march down the mountain. The villagers of Barovia look solemnly at the survivors from open windows as they stagger into the village. Kolbo glares at Ioana as they get their respective rooms at the Blood on the Vine tavern and the party collapses into bed to sleep and heal their wounds.

The next morning, there is a rap at Lady Ioana’s door. She asks who it is and a young man replies, “I am looking for Baroness Ioana Gundar, I have a letter from Count Strahd.” Grinning, Ioana opens the door and accepts the note. Breaking the seal she reads aloud, “Strahd von Zarovich, 7th of his name, Grand Count of Barovia and Lady Ireena Kolyana, cordially request your presence at the celebration of their union...”

Session XP: 14997

Session Loot: Potion of Clairvoyance, Potion of Fire Breath, Potion of Gaseous Form, Potion of Madness, 40 gp, Fancy Garnet (100gp)

RIP: 40 Abber nomads, 10 Barovian constables, 30 Barovian veterans, Ireena Kolyana?

[Actual Play] AD&D 2nd - Ravenloft, House of Strahd Session 6

Ravenloft Session 6

As the sun sets behind the Balinoks, the party approach Tser Falls and the vistani camp in the nearby clearing. The camp is filled with the colored vardo wagons and even more colorfully garbed vistani. Some sit playing somber instruments, while others roll dice by the fire. Trayven approaches a burly, swarthy man and asks him about the Elixir of Passage. The vistani says he knows nothing but offers to play dice with the half-elf. The vistani appears to cheat Trayven out of a gold piece and his nice hat. Belzon suggests that perhaps they should speak with the vistani leader. The men point them towards a large, immaculate vardo not far from the fire.

Entering the vardo, the party finds Madame Eva sitting behind a table just large enough for everyone to sit at - crystal ball to her left and a deck of tarokka cards to her right. She introduces herself to each adventurer and indicates that she knows something about each of their pasts - openly revealing the less secretive knowledge. Before they begin negotiation about the Elixir, Eva insists that the adventurers have their fortune told with the tarokka deck to “reveal the future.”

Lady Ioana Gundar Receives:

High Priestess - A symbol of great power, it tells you of a powerful force for good and protection against darkness.

The Moon - I see a place of tranquility, a harbor for the mighty and powerful. It is in a place of wisdom, warmth, and despair… Great secrets are there.

VIII Pentacles - Good will aid you in this place. The ancient symbols keep evil at bay.

Kolbo the Cautious Receives:

Judgement - A card of power and strength - the victor’s card. It tells of a weapon of light, a weapon with a vengeance.

II Swords - But judgement is two fold, and only purity of heart will lead to revelation.

V Pentacles - Go to the fallen prince of old. The brother of dark is light, and he rests in this place.

Trayven Receives:

The Magician - This card tells of history. Knowledge of the ancient may help you understand a foe.

The Emperor - See the crown and not the strings of his advisors. Seek the King’s throne.

IX Cups - But be wary, evil has taken hold in this place.

Belzon Receives:

The Hanged Man - Ah, this is the object of your search. I see darkness and evil behind this card. It is a powerful man whose enemy is light and whose powers are beyond mortality!

The Tower - This is the highest card and points to a place of dizzying heights. The road winds ever upward...

III of Swords - Three is the sign of magic, and with swords comes death. A dark shadow of evil is cast over that place. You fight under its influence here.

Thenn Receives:

The Devil - And here is the root card. Out of darkness and chaos, this card will find reason and foundation for darkness and chaos. This card shows the dread possibility we all face. It is the key to life, death, and all time beyond.

The Lovers - The darkness loves a light and desires it. Great but subtle plans are in motion about you - plans that the dead may find warmth from the living.

The Fool - In the chaos, one hero alone cannot prevail.

The party takes some time to discuss the readings and what they might mean. Kolbo seems convinced that his cards mean that Strahd’s brother’s sword resides in his tomb. Meanwhile, Thenn believes that Lady Ioana’s reading refers to the silver raven statue they found in the castle’s chapel. Finally, Trayven ponders as to whether or not his cards refer to the Tome of Strahd itself.

After their brief discussion, the party begins negotiating with Madame Eva for vials of the Elixir of Passage. She indicates that the vistani are neutral and do not want to take sides in this conflict, particularly when the Count has treated them so well - a core Barovian law is that to forfeit a vistani’s life is to forfeit one’s own. Trayven offers Madame Eva Castle Ravenloft.

The aged woman ponders for a time. She is intrigued but considers such an agreement dangerous - the Barovian natives won’t stand for vistani rulers, nor will any von Zarovich pretenders. She will only accept such an offer if she has the support and protection of the adventurers, as well as Sheriff Ireena Kolyana. All they need to do is bring Ireena to the camp to sign a document with a blood pact. She lends the party a wagon and two horses to take them back to town.

Standing by the wagon, the party finds…

Beetlebottom - Level 6 Gnome Cleric of Hala

Beetlebottom came to Barovia to learn the recipe for the Elixir of Passage.

The party tells Beetlebottom that they’re totally going to get the elixir recipe from the vistani, so he joins them.

The wagon trots along the night shrouded path, lanterns in front and back, when the party hears the sharp howling of wolves. Beetlebottom spurs the horses on just in time as wargs come racing behind the coach. Kolbo brandishes his Ring of Mammal Control and tells the wargs to go away. They listen.

A few minutes later another pack of wargs return. Kolbo grins and concentrates with his ring again, but this time the wargs seem to resist. They charge ahead and leap up, biting at Thenn and Belzon. The adventurers handily dispatch the vicious beasts with swords and arrows when another group flanks their fast moving wagon, tearing off the leg of a horse. Finishing off those wolves, the party slows the wagon as they approach a sharp bend in the road, where three fierce shambling undead lay in wait. Ambushing the party, they run forward, killing the wounded horse and eviscerating the other. The melee is brief but fierce with Belzon dispatching the final zombie with a deadly shortbow shot. Looting the zombie bodies, the characters find a handful of silver buttons.

The party heals their wounded horse and continues onto town without incident. They immediately approach the burgomeister’s mansion and seek a late night audience with Sheriff Ireena.

As Grayven and Kolbo explain the promises they made to Madame Eva, Ireena won’t have it. The young sheriff explains that she has neither the de jure authority, nor the political power to grant the vistani Castle Ravenloft - the villagers won’t accept it. Besides, what about the succession crisis that removing Strahd VII from power will cause? There are other von Zaroviches in the county and the small village of Barovia couldn’t stand against them.

Negotiations having broken down, Kolbo suggests that the party stay at Brother Donovon’s temple that night, after the party discovers that Beetlebottom’s own sanctuary spell is significantly less effective. The party sets up cots in the temple’s side rooms, giving Lady Ioana Gundar her own private quarters.

Late that night, Lady Gundar hears a tapping at the window. Stirring from slumber, she calls out, but no one in the other room replies. Approaching the window, she finds Count Strahd von Zarovich outside, standing still as a statue. He says he has an offer for her, and asks that she open the window so that can discuss it. Lady Gundar offers to hear the offer, but flatly refuses to open the window. Unperturbed, Strahd offers to honor her de jure claim on the city of Teufeldorf and make her Baroness Ioana Gundar. All she needs to do is convince Ireena Kolyana to marry him - the Count desires the woman but thinks that Ireena must desire him as well before they wed. Lady Ioana says she’ll consider the proposition.

The next day, a war council convenes with Ireena and Master Engineer Kobin. Most of their levy is arriving this morning so the council discusses some specifics of their attack. Kobin has taken his organ cannon out of storage and says that he could supervise construction of some wooden siege machines prior to attacking. The council discusses their options and opts for a bailey bridge to cross the chasm to Ravenloft, as opposed to ballistae with harpoons and tow cables. Trayven also offers to cast the enlarge spell on Kobin’s cannon. A test on the outskirts of town shows that the enlarged cannon will have significantly more destructive force, but needs larger ammunition that the smithy will need to cast hastily.

During the downtime of the weapons test, Ioana asks to speak with Sheriff Ireena privately. Lady Ioana suggests that there may be a way to prevent the bloodshed of the villagers - Ireena could marry Count Strahd to end the conflict. Ireena fumes - this monster killed her father and threatened so many of her compatriots. Lady Ioana, taken aback, offers that Ireena’s love of her countrymen meant that she may have to make sacrifices to save them. Ireena says she’ll consider what Lady Ioana said.

With only one day left, Sheriff Ireena Kolyana gathers her levy of troops and adventurer friends to begin the army’s march towards Castle Ravenloft...

Session XP: 1770

Session Loot: 15 silver buttons (worth 15 sp total)

[Actual Play] AD&D 2nd - Ravenloft, House of Strahd Session 5

Thenn and the late Quidiana's players were unable to make it. However, we have a new player that took over Lady Ioana Gundar!

Ravenloft Session 5

Kolbo awakens to a rap at his door. His sleep was light - the now paranoid dwarf had slept in his armor, magic flail at his side. Kolbo gets up and stands to the locked door’s side, “Who is it?”

Another set of pawing raps. Another question, unanswered again. Another rap. Kolbo yells, “Who is it!?”

In the other room, Trayvon hears some commotion. The half-elf walks in the hallway to find a portly silhouette outside the inn’s king’s room.

Trayvon - Level 6 Half-Elf Wizard 

Str 13, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 6, Chr 14

HP 16, AC 10, Quarterstaff, Darts

Trayvon is in Barovia to find his brother and clear up the cattle dispute.

Trayvon asks the figure what’s going on at this late hour. The portly figure turns and slowly approaches him, hands outstretch. Realizing that this is some sort of undead, Trayvon strikes with his quarterstaff, a wet crunch echoing throughout the inn. Kolbo dashes out of his room and smashes the zombie’s flailing body with his flail. Hearing the commotion, Lady Ioana Gundar hastily dons her brigandine and steps out from her room. The party is then joined by the silent elf, Belzon.

Belzon - Elf, Level 5 Fighter/ Level 6 Thief

Str 13, Dex 18, Con 9, Int 8, Wis 7, Chr 10

HP 28, AC ¾ (Leather Armor, Buckler), Longsword, Shortbow

Belzon is in Barovia because the darkonian merchant he worked for skipped town without paying him.

Kolbo explains to the others that this zombie was a clerk he’d met in Castle Ravenloft. It must have followed him down to town. Oh, and Strahd is a monster. Also his is not a crazy dwarf.

Belzon hears some shuffling downstairs and the adventurers scatter to their individual rooms. Four more zombies climb the stairs and surround Lief’s body. Waiting a few minutes and realizing the zombies won’t just wander off, Kolbo leads the charge and makes short work of the shamblers. Kolbo asks if there is a temple nearby and Ioana indicates that there is one on the outskirts of town.

The adventurers find carnage in the streets, dozens of zombies dragging villagers from their homes and eviscerating them. A pack notices the adventurers, who try to run and are caught by wolves in an alley. They put up a resilient defense atop some parked wagons, raining down missiles as the enemies approaches and then finishing the stragglers in melee.

The party arrives at the temple to find a rundown structure, it’s belltower leaning heavily to the side. The door is unlocked and upon entering they find a series of disused pews and a giant raven statue atop an alter. Belzon quickly notices snoring come from one of the side rooms. Knocking at the door, the party awakens Brother Donovon. Kolbo requests healing and then lambasts the priest for not having cure light wounds prepared. After Lady Ioana Gundar threatens Donovon at arrowpoint, the priest suggests he cast sanctuary upon the temple so they can rest and he can pray to the Morning Lord for new spells. While they sleep, Trayvon uses invisibility, 10-foot radius to hide the party.

The next morning, after a generous 60 gp donation, Donovon heals Kolbo’s body and spirit. 

The party sets out, still invisible, to town with Brother Donovon. They find the villagers rebuilding, collecting corpses and putting out the remaining fires. The party overhears the angry villagers, blaming magic, vistani, and even the Devil Strahd. As they reach the town square and fountain, they overhear a villager and constable talking - they found the burgomeister’s corpse amongst the dead. The constable decides to head to the town mansion and tell the burgomeister’s son of his father’s fate. The party follows at a distance, still invisible.

The constable informs the burgomeister’s son, Ismark the Lesser, of his father’s death. After a brief somber moment, Ismark sparks up, “That makes me burgomeister now, doesn’t it?” The constable informs him that he needs to be appointed by the Count. Someone must go report the attack to the Count, so perhaps it should be Ismark?

Kolbo leaves the invisible radius and dramatically informs the Barovians that their liege lord is a monster, murdered the burgomeister, and in fact orchestrated last night’s attack. His arguments are logical and they believe him. Leant their ear, Kolbo offers to fund an army with his recent "inheritance" to depose Count Strahd.

Hearing all the excitement, a young woman joins Ismark at the door. Her flowing dark brown hair and flowing green cloak are striking - but perhaps more striking is the sword and pistol at her hip. Only Kolbo and Belzon have ever seen flintlocks before. The group hands the burgomeister’s daughter, Ireena Kolyana, her father’s signet ring. She thanks them but informs that while she will keep the ring safe, it is not her family’s - it belongs to the office of burgomeisters. Kolbo suggests that Ireena be burgomeister and Lady Ioana supports this claim. Coming to no conclusion, the constable suggests that they meet with the town elders and choose an interim burgomeister.

The town meeting is a mess. The elders debate for an hour, then vote. Every time they vote for themselves - except Ireena who votes to Ismark. Kolbo suggest that in this time of hostility they enact emergency powers. The elders inform that according to their charter (currently unrecognized by Strahd), the sheriff would take over under marshal law. But the village hasn’t had a sheriff in 15 years. One by one, the elders volunteer themselves to be sheriff.

Trayvon decides to elicit some public support. Convincing the crowd that Ireena Kolyana would be the best choice to temporary powers, the Barovians begin chanting Ireena’s name just before the next vote. One by one, under pressure, the elders agree that Ireena should be sheriff. Even Ismark, reluctantly.

Convening a war council with Ismark and the adventurers, they begin to make plans. First, they send riders to raise levies in addition to the village’s 10 constables. Randomly determined, the riders are able to gather:

Master Engineer Kobin

60 Abber Mercenaries

60 Falkov War Veterans

Here is the table used to randomly determine levies:

1. Nazbif the Nebulous: AL (CN); Int Genius; AC 8; MV 12; HD 5; hp 13; THAC0 19; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA grease, fireball, fly, lightning bolt 1x per day, SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 270
2. Driena Wolfswift: AL (CN); Int Average; AC 8; MV 12; HD 3; hp 16; THAC0 18; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA cure light wounds 1x per day, SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 150
   Wolves (10); AL (TN); Int Low; AC 6; MV 18; HD 2; hp 12; THAC0 17; #AT 1, DMG 1d8, SA none, SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 90 ea
3. Jason Morningstar: AL (CG); Int Average; AC 4; MV 12; HD 4; hp 20; THAC0 17; #AT 1, DMG 1d6+1, SA club+1, cure light wounds, aid, protection from evil 1x per day, turn undead SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 240
4. Gundarakite Rebels (20): AL (CG); Int Average; AC 7; MV 12; HD 1; hp 5; THAC0 19; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA short bows, SD none, MR nil, ML (13), XP 35 ea.
5. Angry Villagers (50): AL (TN); Int Average; AC 10; MV 12; HD 1; hp 4; THAC0 20; #AT 1, DMG 1d4, SA none, SD none, MR nil, ML (13), XP 15 ea.
6. Falkov War Veterans (30): AL (TN); Int Average; AC 9; MV 12; HD 1; hp 5; THAC0 20; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA none, SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 35 ea.
7. Conscripted Villagers (50); AL (TN); Int Average; AC 10; MV 12; HD 1; hp 4; THAC0 20; #AT 1, DMG 1d4, SA none, SD, none, MR nil, ML (9), XP 15 ea.
8. Abber Mercenaries (20); AL (TN); Int Average; AC 8; MV 12; HD 1; hp 4; THAC0 19; #AT 1, DMG 1d6; SA slings, SD 50% concealment from missile weapons, MR nil, ML (11), XP 35 ea.
9. Master Engineer Kobin; AL (LN); Int High; AC 7; MV 6; HD 2; hp 9; THAC0 19; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA THAC0 14 with siege weapons, SD none, MR nil, ML (11), XP 150
10. Petrovna Vistala; AL (LE); Int High; AC 7; MV 12; HD 3; hp 11; THAC0 19; #AT 1, DMG 1d6, SA Any unit or hero within 50 ft of Petrovna gets +1 to attack and saving throws, SD none, MR 20%, ML (11), XP 120
11. Alexi Shadowborn; AL (LG); Int Average; AC 1; MV 12; HD 5; hp 31; THAC0 14; #AT 1, DMG 1d8+2, SA cure light wounds 1x per day, turn undead, Any unit of hero within 50 ft of Alexi may used his morale score, SD none, MR nil, ML (15), XP 180

Kobin is inducted into the war council and the rest of the levies will assemble over the next two days. The council also sends a fast rider with money to hire mercenaries in Nova Vaasa - a venture that may take almost two months. As the logistic meeting continues, there is a knock at the door. In the dying afternoon, the fast rider has returned, informing the council that the legendary poison mist has surrounded the village outskirts. Ismark curses their bad luck, and Kolbo informs the council that this is clearly not a coincidence. Perturbed, Ireena asks the adventurers to seek out the vistani, who are rumored to have an elixir that can allow individuals to cross the poison mist.

With the light of day waning, the party of adventurers set off to the Tser Lake waterfall and the vistani camp at it’s side…

Session XP: 5910 (+5000 XP is for making Ireena the sheriff. That’s awesome)

Session Loot: nil