Session 0: A New Land

General Summary

Introduction

A party of adventures, not long together, sit around a camp fire exchanging stories. They are returning to Candlekeep and are nearing the end of their journey, the lights of the city forming a dim hue on the horizon. The party includes:
Heisandoral Erenaeth the Wood Elf Monk
Damakos Fiendline the Tiefling Warlock and Chi Long his human colleague.
Maveith Dawncaller Thuliaga the Goliath Paladin
Sloot the Half-Elf Paladin
Yenavor the Aarakocra Rogue
 

The woods are quiet this night, and the air grows chill. Your fire sputters as a low mist gathers around the edges of your camp, growing closer as the night wears on. By morning, the fog hangs thick in the air, turning the trees around you into gray ghosts. Then you notice these aren't the same trees that surrounded you the night before.

   

Lost and Alone

The party reluctantly travel the unknown road before coming across gates never before seen:   The gates opened as if by magic, and closed just as readily once they passed the threshold. Discovering they would not reopen, the party knew they were trapped in this new land.    

Unknown Woods

Towering trees, whose tops are lost in heavy gray mist, block out all but a death-gray light. The tree trunks are unnaturally close to one another, and the woods have the silence of a forgotten grave, yet exude the feeling of an unvoiced scream.

While travelling the unknown road Heisandoral noticed the stench of death emanating from just beyond the treeline.

The foul scent leads to a human corpse half-buried in the underbrush about fifteen feet from the road. The young man appears to be a commoner. His muddy clothes are torn and raked with claw marks. Crows have been at the body, which is surrounded by the paw prints. The man has obviously been dead for several days. He holds a crumpled envelope in one hand.

The letter is described in Kolyan Indirovich's Letter    

The Village of Barovia

The gravel road leads to a village, its tall houses dark as tombstones. Nestled among these solemn dwellings are a handful of closed-up shops. Even the tavern is shut tight. A soft whimpering draws your eye toward a pair of children standing in the middle of an otherwise lifeless street.

The party cautiously questioned the children:

After shushing the boy, the girl turns to you and says, "There's a monster in our house!" She then points to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar. The houses on either side are abandoned, their windows and doors boarded up.

The children describe their baby brother on the third floor, and refuse to enter the house for fear of the monster but plead to the party for help. Once the party entered the house the children mysteriously disappear without a trace or sound.    

The Death House

The party explore the house, the first two floors appearing immaculate. The occupants, nowhere to be seen, clearly enjoy a lavish lifestyle. Ornate carvings cover most walls, however Heisandoral notices most carvings are not all they seem. Skulls, wolves and monsters adorn the carvings and are so intricate he questions if they could be carved by man.   Whereas the first two floors are immaculate, the third is mysteriously covered in dust and cobwebs. The party successfully find a hidden passage leading to an attic, however while searching the nursery they find no trace of a baby; merely an empty crib and the nursemaids specter.   The party are attacked by several magical beings during their investigation:
A suit of armor came to life and attacked as Maveith attempted to loot it
A broom animated and attacked as Heisandoral attempted to kick it over
A specter attacked the party when they entered the nursery and investigated the crib
  During the encounter with the Specter, Heisandoral was momentarily possessed. He experienced memories of the deceased flashing through his mind; he saw the man of the house and a pregnant nursemaid. He saw bodies manacled to the walls in a darkened chamber; and he saw children crying locked in a dusty room.   While the animated objects proved little challenge, the specter knocked Damakos unconscious and rendered Heisandoral in critical condition. Nonetheless the party emerged triumphant. After the battle Chi tends to Damakos’s wounds and the party is ready to explore the attic.   While exploring several treasures were found which are detailed in the rewards section below. The most notable treasures include:

• An iron key found in the masters study
• Several Spell Scrolls (see below)
• A Letter from Strahd
• A deed to this house
• A deed to a windmill (location unknown)
• The last will and testament of the Durst family (believed to be the occupants), in which the house and windmill are left to their only children; Rose & Thorn.

Rewards Granted

Damakos Fiendline

• Three blank books
• Scroll of 'Bless'
• Scroll of 'Protection from Poison'
• Scroll of 'Protection from Good and Evil'
• Deed to a house
• Deed to a windmill
• Signed Will
• Jar of ink
• Quill pen
• A letter kit (including wax)
• Seal bearing unknown insignia
• 4 blank sheets of parchment
• Tomes of fiend summoning (fake)

   

MAVEITH DAWNCALLER THULIAGA

• Shortsword
• Hand Crossbow
• 20 bolts

   

Sloot

• Heavy Crossbow
• 20 Bolts
• Strahd's Letter

   

HEISANDORAL ERENAETH

• Top Hat
• Spear
• Light Crossbow
• 20 Bolts
• Iron key

   

Yenavor

• Jewelry box

Notes

Character Experience

The characters began and ended the session at level 1  

Spell Scrolls

DMG: Page 200 Spell Scrolls require and action to read and can only be read if the spell is on your class's spell list. If the spell is on your class list, but at a higher level than you can cast, you must make an ability check to determine success.