C2S2: Wine and Wolves (write-up)

General Summary

Village of Barovia

Dragomir suggests the party stay for dinner but at their request they go to the Blood of the Vine Tavern for wine. On the corner to the road toward the square the party observe a pair of older men fighting over what seems to be a baked pastry with a crazed in their eyes, like their life depends on the foodstuff. Tao wades in to grab the pastry and hold it above his head, where he tears it in two and throws the pieces in different directions. Dragomir sadly speaks of an old woman from the mill who comes to town selling the pastries and warns the party not to eat them.
The party notices that a raven (Muriel Vinshaw) is watching them from a rooftop. She flies down the street and perches on the sign of Bildrath's Mercantile. Wailing comes from a house down the street, which Dragomir highlights as coming from Mad Mary. The party proceeds to the Blood of the Vine. Inside the tavern are three women (Vistani) playing cards and Ismark Kolyanovich sat alone drinking on a table near the fire. Hidden in the shadows in the corner left of the door is Radu Radovich in his yellow cloak.
The party spends 11 gold pieces on 5 carafes of wine and a bottle of Champagne du le Stomp. Tao tries to engage a simmering Ismark in conversation, who discusses his hatred for Strahd and desire to kill him. Dragomir sinks back into his chair, not wanting to associate. Torinn and Senlin engage Radu in conversation and learn a little about the land. Senlin tells Radu that Tao is a strong sailor. Tao stands and proclaims he is a God and Torinn makes him sparkle. The tavern patrons reel back in surprise. Ismark drags Tao out of the bar, with Dragomir close behind. Ismark hisses for Tao not to be foolish and that Strahd's spies are everywhere. Ismark leads them to the Burgomaster's Mansion where he shouts for Ireena to open the door. There are cries from upstairs as Ireena is awoken from nightmarish sleep. Dragomir runs home to ensure his family are safe and warns the party to be aware of Strahd's spies and to not draw attention to themselves with glowing imagery and such. The party dither about entering or not before reluctantly following inside.
Ireena Kolyana is Mela. The group will see two puncture marks on her neck. Ismark will sadly tell the tale of what Strahd is doing to her, and that he wants to take her to Vallaki once their father is buried. Ireena and Ismark recruit the heroes to bury their father at the church. Tao argues that they should burn the body or it cannot be free, but is overruled by Ismark wishing to bury his father. Senlin examines the bite marks on Ireena's neck and provides her with healing magic to ensure there is no disease present. Torinn tells Ireena to stay behind and out of Strahd's possible grasp but she refuses to not attend the burial of her father.

Strahd Encounter 2

The group goes to the church meets Donavich, the priest. The party walk through the church, out into the graveyard and begin digging a grave for the Burgomaster. Tao stands aside, believing buying the dead is disrespectful.
Fog rolls in. The sound of wings flapping fills the air as a massive swarm of bats burst out of the fog and flies into, past and through the party, obscure the characters' vision for a moment. The swarm scatters and the group hears growling. Snarling wolves creep out from the mist behind them, as to the front the figure of Strahd approaches the graveyard gate. He asks Tatyana to come to him. As the company draw swords the wolves attack.
Ireena appears confused as to what to do, fingering the bite marks on her neck as she looks back and forth. As the party shouts to her to ignore Strahd his charismatic presence is overruled and she draws her rapier against him. Tao luckily resists a blight spell thrown in his direction. Torinn the entire time is talking to Strahd to petition for aid in magical learnings. Strahd promptly turns him into a chicken which is bit by a wolf and Torinn revert back. Torinn sends an ice shard cutting across Strahd's face, which promptly heals itself.
Strahd turns to Ireena and says "They can’t keep us apart for long, my dear." Then he turns to mist and vanishes. The graveyard is left silent.
The group may want to check on Ireena who stabs a dead wolf over and over in frustration. Ismark reminds the heroes that they should finish burying his father. As the group puts the last shovelful of dirt on the grave, the March of the Dead (pg 48) kicks in. A ghostly procession of the deceased heads toward Castle Ravenloft.

March of the Dead

Some of the beings look slightly more detailed, slightly more solid, as if the grave has not yet fully forgotten their history:

1. Male half-elf in leather armour
2. Dwarven fighter in rusted platearmour with a battleaxe
3. Spindly old wizard with head jutting forward and long grey hair hanging low over face
4. Flabby stout man with tight-fitting leather armour. Hands tied behind back, his hair looks sopping wet, as if submerged.

The Characters Hit Level Four – Emphasise success in role-playing actions for experience
Tao’s dream: You fly across a wide expanse. Frozen snowy lands swallow a road beneath them. A mountain face ahead looms closer and closer, until doors at its base burst open, as the stones darken and melt like tar...
Torinn’s dream: You are chasing it. Faster and faster, further and further, as it sails ahead, obscured by the dark mists. You leap, finding yourself borne aloft by wings that shoot from your back, eyes never leaving your quarry else it is lost to the deepening fog. You lose sight, once, twice, spinning around outcrops and travelling up further and higher into the sky. The clouds soak your robes and weigh you down as you strain upwards, until the clouds burst open upon a starless night, the only light provided by a moon which stretches and fills your vision, leagues across, half-sunk beneath the rigged horizon, smooth and unscarred. Disappearing into the distance, a black spot against the white canvas above shows what you seek. Desperately you stretch out a hand, anything by which you can grasp it, as a slimy rope-like grip wraps around your throat and rips you backwards into the mists. Down, down, down you fall, water streaming over your face, rushing cold wind biting into your ears, until you slam into the dark sodden earth. A tattooed barbarian stands over you, runs a brutish hand over a greataxe which begins to glint with power, raises it on high, and bring it streaking down towards your chest.

Rewards Granted

Levelled up to Level 4

Missions/Quests Completed

Buried Ireena and Ismark's father

Character(s) interacted with

Dragomir Belasco
Ismark Kolyanovich
Ireena Kolyana
Muriel Vinshaw
Radu Radovich
Donavich the Priest
Strahd von Zarovich

Time
Days: 1st Raven Moon
Time: mid-afternoon - night (long rest)
Weather
Cold and foggy
Mist averaging 30 ft vision

Campaign

Curse of Strahd

Protagonists

Report Date

15 Jan 2018

Primary Location

Village of Barovia