The last session saw our characters travel out to the Wizard of Wines vineyard where they met the Martikov family, who had been forced to flee from their home after the Forest Folk had attacked with strange living plants known as blights. The party agreed to try and liberate the vineyard, lest Barovia loses the blessings of wine to raise some cheer. They carefully approached the building, managing to get into the house with minimal damage, and we left the last session as they barricaded themselves into the building as there were creatures firing sharpened needles at them, creatures that seemed to respond to noise rather than sight.
Our dramatis personae:
Ser Adon de Rouge of House Starbright (a half-orc Paladin, from a knightly background, with two human retainers and a priest), played by Paul (dr_mitch). Lawful Good. Married to Ser Alys.
Kelwarin (Kel) (a half-elf Sorceror flush with the powers of wild magic, an outlander), played by Graham (First Age). Chaotic Good.
Gaddock Teeg (a halfling wizard and former prizefighter), played by Alex (Doggetay), Neutral Good
also featuring:
Ireena Kolyana (a human warrior, daughter of the Burgomaster of Barovia, Twice-Bitten reincarnation of Strahd's unrequited love, Tatyana) - upgraded as a sidekick.
and introducing:
Alexei the Vistana (a young human expert, sent to pay off his debt to the party by his Vistani elders after they rescued Arabelle from certain death when Alexei lost her in town. A late teenager who is so taken by Ireena and the excitement of the adventure that he's forgotten he planned to be sulky and surly for his 13 moon exile) - upgraded as a sidekick.
Keeping the home fires burning:
Ser Alys de Adon-Rouge of House Starbright (a half-orc Fighter with a soldier background, currently the leader of the town militia of Daggerford), played by Tom (Guvnor). Lawful Neutral. Imagine a slightly greener take on Grace Jones... Married to Ser Adon.
All characters are presently 5th level, including the sidekicks.
26th November (continued)
Having broken through the door using Alexei's tricks, the party found themselves in a room dominated by four large fermentation vats for the wine. They quickly spotted a woman wearing furs and leathers with antlers in a decorative headset on the balcony above. It was one of the forest folk, perhaps a druid. An attempt to parley using Ireena as a translator soon came to nothing when they realised that the vineyard had been attacked at the behest of the Messenger (Strahd), and that something had been stolen. Hasted, Ser Adon charged in and cut the woman down. Strange creatures like bundles of twigs rushed forward, with Kelwarin using very controlled magic to incinerate them and the others joining in. On searching the dead woman and the room, they gathered evidence that the wine may well have been poisoned in some way. Searching around, they saw other members of the forest folk creeping towards the house in the misty rows of vines. No sign of the creatures that had fired needles though.
They heard a noise upstairs, and Ser Adon and Kelwarin led the way into a darkened misty corridor upstairs. Fog drifted in it, and Ser Adon, fortunately, noticed the floor covered in sharp thorns and creepers. He carefully burned them back, and just as he put the torch away, a large creature made of wet vines pulled him into its constricting grip. Battle was joined - the enchantment in the corridor being broken when Gaddock managed to magic missile the Forest Folk druid who had cast the spell, breaking their conversation. Another blight emerged and all three of their foes were soon slain.
Checking out the windows, the Gaddock noticed that the forest folk were drawing in on the building, with creatures like those they'd just faced. The party swiftly decided to use the cover of the stone building to pick off their adversaries. Exchanges of magic bolts, arrows and even a javelin ensued. Needles peppered the windows where movement was last seen, some doing Alexei a nasty injury.
Eventually, Ser Adon jumped down to engage the weakened creatures, with Ireena following. The rest of the party drove back the vine creatures which had swarmed up the walls, one of which grabbed Gaddock. Fortunately, he struggled free and Kel blasted the creature into the cooking stove.
Just as Ser Adon and Ireena (I nearly typed 'Ser Alys' there rather than Ireena) finished off the forest folk and blights, several swarms of twig blights, vine blights came from the west of the building off the veranda, attracted by the noise of battle. At the same time another group of forest folk came around the corner. Never one to hang back, Ser Adon rushed and attacked the new group, heading for the one with the evil-looking blackened wooden staff which dripped blood and emitted ashen smoke. Unfotunately, this led to Ireena being caught on her own by three swarms of the twig creatures. She went down hard, at death's door.
Ser Adon swiftly slew the druid with the staff, using his last smite. He cut the staff and the druid in twain with a radiant blade, and it unleashed an unearthly, chilling howl. As this happened every blight twisted and crumbled back into vegetation. Gaddock swiftly stabilised Ireena, and then Kel arrived, bearing his healing potion.
Cupping Ireena's head in his arms he tenderly drips the healing potion into her mouth, waiting attentively until her eyes open. Their eyes meet and Kelwarin smiles. "Welcome back Ireena. Gently does it, take a little more of this restorative potion." Kelwarin holds her and they continue to look deeply into each other's eyes. They smile and, gradually, Kel helps Ireena to sit.
Meanwhile, Ser Alys chases down the two fleeing forest folk and makes short work of them. The party regroup and start to recover, with the Martikovs soon coming down.
Gaddock identifies the staff as a Gulthias Staff, created from a vampiric tree.
Kel fussed over Ireena and sees a rare smile on her worried face.
Ser Adon pined for Ser Alys, knowing that although he's good, with her he has the chance to be glorious.
Alexei sits grinning like the late teenager he is, excited by the action and the powerful friends he now has.
Meanwhile, a lone figure runs towards Yester Hill, having been sent there by his leader just before he stepped forward to face these cruel interlopers who defended the corruption of nature that the Vineyard represents to the forest folk.
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GM Notes: This was mostly a battle and a different type to those that the characters have faced before. It was a war of attrition, hampered by them reaching for the powerful spells and magics early. Paul made a smart move by making Ser Adon the target for these creatures that respond to noise. The sidekicks and other players were much more at risk of damage. I mostly rolled badly for initiative and was after 19 or 20 to hit Ser Adon, so not much damage happened. Ireena went down hard after I rolled a critical and did enough damage to put her negative. She had two failed death saves and panic was starting to ensue when the blights were destroyed and Gaddock stabilised her.
I ended up using the music from another part of the Strahd soundtrack to get a sense of urgency into the combat. It was done well, with hardly any hesitation and good tactics. Overall a fun session. Be interesting to see how threatened the players felt.
16 June 2021
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