In the aftermath of the battle with Baba Lysaga, our heroes - battered and sorrowful - started out of the swamp dragging two bodies and the seriously injured woman they rescued from the witches hut, Laura, with them.
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
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.
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.
All characters levelled up to 8th level, including the one remaining sidekick.
10th December, 11 days to the Solstice.
They soon realised that it wasn't practical to travel all the way back to Vallaki during the night, dragging two bodies (Alexei and Baba Lysaga) and the seriously injured woman who they suspected to be one of the fanes. Even at night, the insects and flies were biting, making it almost impossible to rest properly. It was a long mile, wading through water up to chest deep, to get to the higher ground on the track above Old Berez. Swiftly, Gaddock used his powers to summon a magical shelter which they all took refuge below. Healing wounds, cleaning up as best they could, they rested. Gaddock had to resist peeking for too long at the spell book which he'd recovered from the ruin of the witch's hut. There were some many interesting and powerful spells. Skimming through, he realised just how close they'd been to death, before Ser Alys' blow had felled the witch as she swooped low over the swamp intent on killing Kel and Ireena.
11th December, 10 days to the Solstice.
The party - with the exception of Gaddock who had pulled a tarpaulin over himself - woke to the chill of soft rain and mist coming down in the early hours of the morning after the spell faded away. Breaking their fast, they prepared to travel north towards Vallaki.
Muriel Vinshaw, the wereraven they had rescued from Baba Lysaga' cage confirmed that the gemstone (the size of a large pine cone) that Ser Adon had ripped from the hut was one of the missing ones from the Wizard of Wines vineyard, without which the vines wouldn't grow in this blighted land. She believed that this was the gemstone that was associated with the Champagne du Stomp wine, a sparkling wine which had brought much joy to the people of Barovia over the years. She offered to take it back, but Ser Adon declined, saying that he would do it later.
Laura Stoneheart was in better health, but still not healed full. She was very quiet and withdrawn, which was hardly surprising following the trauma that she had been in for perhaps hundreds of years (if she was indeed an embodiment of one of the fanes as they suspected).
There was something different when they started up the river valley; the feeling of being watched had returned, something that had been absent since they received the invitation to dinner at the castle. Things were definitely moving in the undergrowth parallel to them, and they could sense a dark presence watching them. They reached the cross roads and the bridge over the river with no more incidents than wolf howls in the distance. As they reached the turning to the Vistani camp, they decided that it was time to take Alexei back to his people, so that he could be laid to rest properly.
Meeting Luvash and Arigal, they told the sad story of what happened. There was much sorrow in the camp; Luvash crying out and apologising to Alexei that he shouldn't have exiled him. There were public tears and mourning, with everyone coming to where the body was laid out and apologising. Ser Adon soon realised that this was part of a ritual to prevent Alexei returning as restless spirit. The young seeress Arabelle was in genuine tears, crying that if only she hadn't run away when Alexei was guarding her, then he wouldn't have been exiled. The party were invited to stay and join in the funeral service, which they gladly agreed to.
The camp was full of bustle; a pyre was assembled and his body escorted to it, with a group of Vistani playing happy, joyful music as they escorted him. Everyone had changed into bright clothing, reds and whites around. Arigal begged forgiveness to Alexei's mother. She asked for people to tell tales of Alexei so that he could be properly remembered. Gaddock told of Alexei's bravery, scouting ahead in the Stygian Library, his skills in cracking locks and exploring. Ser Alys talked of his loyalty, and the way that he had never once grumbled about his exile. Ser Adon told of the battle in the Vineyard, where Alexei had helped to save him from the swarms of needle blights. Kel finished for the party, telling of Alexei's fearlessness in the last battle despite the horror of facing Baba Lysaga, of him standing firm to protect his friends. There was general approval, and the party asked to light his pyre as the friends who were with him when he died.
The flames roared upwards, defiant against the overcast skies. Music played, much was drunk and people came closer together, celebrating and embracing life in this land of darkness and death. It was likely that any child born in nine-months time would be named Alexei in honour of the fallen Vistana.
12th December, 9 days to the Solstice.
They reached Vallaki without further incident. The number of howling wolves increased, and there was definitely a feel of the land awakening against them again. Rain drizzled intermittently. They entered through the west gate, with visible relief from the inexperienced but brave town guards, and stopped shortly after as they reached the Church of St Andral. A swift conversation ensued with Father Lucien, and it was agreed to - with the blessing of the Ring - burn the body of the witch publicly on the ground where the carnival had stopped to the north of the town near the lake. The priest hurried to make preparations and looked up rituals to protect against the servants of Mother Night.
Heading into the centre of town, they next stopped at the Blue Water Inn. After nodding their respects to Ez and Rictavio, they started to talk to Danika. They started to persuade her to take up their offer to join the Ring again, explaining how much influence that she had and how the town needed her for stability. Kel made a very compelling argument, following Ser Adon's more military plea, and somehow won her around. There were cheers in the pub when the news of Baba Lysaga's death was announced but nervous looking faces when they heard the body was in town and to be burned that afternoon. Would this bring retribution from Strahd?
Turning, Ser Adon, handed Danika the gemstone, wrapped in a cloth to hide its glow. She gasped as she opened it, calling for Urwin. Her husband had been driven away from the family by his father Dmitri who blamed him for losing the gemstone. "Now we can show the Old Crow he was wrong; there was no way you could have prevented that witch taking this." Excited, celebrating, Urwin gave those in the pub a round of the house. This time, his wife didn't reproach him. Instead her eyes widened and she smiled as she noticed that Kelwarin and Ireena were much closer, holding hands. Something had happened the night before at the funeral, bringing them closer together. Ser Adon and the rest of the party congratulated their friends as they realised. Adon told Kel that if he ever needed a best-orc, he'd be happy to oblige.
Gaddock, Laura, Kel and Ireena headed over to Jeny's shop. The sign said closed, but when Gaddock called out Jeny enthusiastically responded, telling him to come in. Seeing Laura, she let out and excited squeal of 'Sister mine!" and wrapped her in a warm hug. Tea and cake was forthcoming, and Jeny introduced Kel as 'the one that got away' and Gaddock as 'an enthusiastic and energetic bedwarmer who I'll lend to you when you're better'. Kel explained what had happened when Jeny asked after Alexei, Adon and Alys, and he asked her to watch out for the town. She looked at him a little blankly, agreeing but not really understanding why he was asking this of a shopkeeper, before whispering to Ireena that if she needed anything 'special' for the two of them, that she'd be happy to help. The change between Kel and Ireena had not gone unnoticed.
Ser Adon and Alys called into the Wachterhaus and were almost met by another woman. Lady Fiona was positively joyful. They had come in trepidation, as the Martikovs had indicated that Kurt was back up and around but always wore dark glasses, even at night. Lady Fiona introduced them to 'her husband and love of her life', Lord Nicholai Wachter. An older man - they suspected that the age difference from his wife had closed when he had been dead the last decade - he looked distinguished. However, they noticed his eyes were bloodshot and the tear ducts stained with blood. Kurt came into the room, surprised by the guests, he pushed his darkened glasses on but not before Ser Alys and Ser Adon both noted his eyes whites were now completely black. Sensing for evil and undeath, Ser Adon found nothing. He reflected, and realised that the dark powers of this land may - perhaps - taint resurrection. Lord Wachter was completely affable, albeit a little distant and confused. Kurt had lost the arrogance that he'd shown before.
A discussion ensued about the Ring and how they needed to rely on Lady Fiona to protect the town, especially with the forthcoming solstice and imminent burning of Baba Lysaga as an act of public defiance against the dark powers of the land. Somehow, Ser Adon swung the argument[1] and Lady Fiona happily agreed to help.
The afternoon came and a nervous crowd gathered on the common, hypnotised by the building of the pyre. The body of the witch was revealed to gasps, and then Father Lucien said the prayers over her. The flames licked upwards, swiftly consuming the pyre. They turned green as they touched her body, and there was a smell of sulphur as the witches' flesh caught. Dark clouds gathered, and the rain started. It was as if the land was trying to put out the pyre. Thunder rumbled, and the crowd looked around nervously. Lightning ripped through the sky in the distance, clearly outlining the mountain behind which Castle Ravenloft was located.
Coming from the west was a terrifying, swirling cloud, lightning striking all around it. The rain became a downpour as the body burned, and then the cloud was upon them in the unnatural darkness. It was a huge swarm of bats which swooped and scared the populace of the town; they started to panic and run. Standing firm, the Ring called out to calm them, managing to stop the mass stampede but people were still running into town. In the distance, against the thunderclaps, the party were sure they heard a cry of 'Baba'.
The party stayed at the field until the pyre burned down. Within it, there was a strangely blackened and calcified heart, which they decided needed to be buried at a crossroads outside town...
GM Notes:
[1] Opposed roll with Lady Wachter critically failing. As an aside, Kel made at least three persuasion rolls this session and every one was a 19! He's running a +9 mod now, so the minimum roll will make DC10.
I was less prepared than I wanted to be, but I'd pulled together some notes for all the key next steps that the party had identified last session. I wanted a proper send off for Alexei, and I loved the way that the players leaned into this, telling stories of him.
Graham suggested that this was a good opportunity to bring Kel and Ireena's romance to a conclusion; this seemed right, as we are definitely heading into the endgame of the campaign.
They still need to return the gem (which will unlock part of the prophecy) and inter Argnvost's skull in the beacon tower. After that, the Amber Temple in the mountains to the south beckons. But the clock is ticking as they get closer to the solstice and the blood tithe becoming due to Strahd.
Overall, a good talky session.
2nd July 2022
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