26/09/23 - 03/10/23 - 10/10/23 (Triple session report)
21st Day of Rainmoot: 1492
Mission: Take Ireena to Vallaki
Campaign: Tales from the Bard
Location(s): Barovia, Vallaki, Winery
Present: Bernadette Greycastle, Dramos Ethrane, Niall Tharivol, Ragul-Nur, Roscoe Tosscoble, Moonwhisper, Bomber Longbeard. Ireena and Ismark.
On arriving downstairs for breakfast at the Blue Water Inn the group observed a heated discussion between Urwin, the owner and a Dwarf. It transpired the delivery of wine had not arrived that morning form the winery and the Dwarf was adamant that he wanted wine with his breakfast.
The Dwarf informed Urwin that he would go get himself but couldn't do it alone. The group offered to assist and finding out that the way to the winery was on the way to the church they could do both jobs at the same time. Deliver Ireena safely to the priest and then travel to the winery and find out why the delivery was late.
At the church all was not well. Father Lucien informed them that the holy bones of St Andral have been stolen. They are what protects the church and to some extent Vallaki from Strahd. SO leaving Ireena at the church is not an option, yet. He also cannot provide them with any spiritual items to aid the priest in Barovia. He will research the times and cost to procure what items needed to complete this and inform them on the return.
The group decide to push on to the winery and after 5 hours arrive at the bottom of the hill. Vine adorn the hillside and at the top they can just make out a building.
As they approached Niall spotted a figure waving to them from the tree line to their right. Carefully approaching they saw an old man, cloaked but not threatening. In the tree line they could see other figures, some of them children.
Old Man: "I am Davian Martikov and this is my family. The winery was attacked but a few hours ago and we were forced to flee. Can you aid us?"
Niall: "Of course Davian, we were actually here to collect the wine for Vallaki".
Davian: "Now you know why the delivery was late!"
Davian drew a rough map of the layout of the building. It had two storeys and a cellar.
The group made a quick plan. They would circle the vines and use them for cover to approach the building. They would be in single file. As they approached the building they would split into two groups. Group 1, Niall, Dramos, Ragul and Roscoe: Group 2, Moonwhisper, Bomber and Bernadette. Group 1 would enter via the loading bay (W2), whilst group 2 would enter by the side door (W8), they would meet up in the fermentation room (W9).
As they moved through the vines the vines seemed to come alive as 6 groups of vine creatures attacked them. The group were hard pressed but managed to kill all 30 of the vine/twig creatures. Moonwhisper thought it prudent to provide a guard for the family and offered his services as the enemy had attacked them so close to the group hidden in the trees. Ragul moved from group 1 to group 2 and they moved more cautiously towards the entry points. Group 1 entered the loading bay (W2) as group 2 moved to the side entrance (W8).
The door (W8) sprang open and Twig Blights poured out. Group 1 entered the fermentation room and Twig Blights attacked them from all directions.
Niall and Roscoe were hard pressed and outnumbered but the restrictive space worked in their favour. Dramos assisted where he could. Bernadette and Ragul were outnumbered too, Bomber had been forced back by the power thrown at him from a human.
Slowly both groups got the upper hand as Bomber charged back into the melee and Ragul dispatched the Druid with his own spiritual power and his battleaxe.
They searched the body of the Druid as the Twig Blights had just crumpled into twigs. Some healing was taken and as the groups re-joined in the fermentation room Ragul cast spiritual healing. Bomber informed them he would guard the entrance outside in case any more Twig Blights or Druids showed up. Also he could see Moonwhisper and wave to him if either needed help.
Niall guarded the bottom of the stairs leading up to the next level. The others spaced out around him. Bernadette checked the other doors. The double sliding doors were chained on her side. The door behind Niall was locked, no key hole so she presumed (rightly) that it was barred from the other side. Checking a third door it opened. Cautiously she peeked inside. It was full of barrels but in the left corner by the door was a very narrow, circular staircase leading up. She informed the others.
Ragul started a long mass healing prayer as Niall suddenly jumped to one side. A blast of energy, channelled by the wall either side of the stairs thundered into the ground where he stood and blasted the door that was behind him into matchwood.
Niall: "It's another bloody Druid, I'm going to t..t him for that!"
Bernadette thought they could hit him from two sides and put forward a plan to go up using the main stairs, if they were clear and the narrow circular stairs she had found in the side room full of barrels.
Dramos followed Bernadette as Roscoe and Ragul followed Niall as he ran upstairs. He saw nothing but a corridor going left and right.
Niall: "Bugger, he's gone. Stay behind me in case he pops out again."
Bernadette and Dramos found themselves in a corridor with several doors on the right and at the far end she could just make out the door was open. She could hear noises coming from the room but could not make them out.
Suddenly the Druid advanced down the corridor and blasted Niall. Niall advanced and swung both his short swords hitting the Druid. Niall could see 2 Twig Blights behind the Druid and as Roscoe stepped forward to fill the void left by Niall he saw 3 Twig Blights advancing from his right.
Bernadette advanced stealthily and indicated Dramos to do the same. Listening at each door as she passed by, Dramos copied her but neither of them heard anything.
Niall struck the druid down and leapt over his body to attack the Twig Blights. The Druid with his last action managed to trip Niall and he fell face forward, hard. Both short swords clattered to the floor as Niall tried to shake the blackness from his eyes. Ragul advanced and stepped over Niall to protect him but he slipped and the Twig Blight tried to capitalise on his mistake. However the chainmail shirt of Ragul stopped the blow. Roscoe dispatched one Twig Blight After another. Ragul dispatched the last twig blight and raced to assist Roscoe killing the last Twig Blight he was facing. Niall sat up.
Niall: "Well that was kind of silly! Let's find the others, Roscoe lead the way.
Bernadette crept up to the open door and stealthily looked inside. A human figure, cloaked like the other 2 Druids was searching for something, between the Druid and Bernadette stood 2 Twig Blights facing away from the door!
Bernadette swiped her rapier with great skill and managed to drop both Twig Blights with one swipe of her deadly blade.
The cloaked figure stood and staff in hand cast a thunder wave of force that knocked Bernadette prone, into the corridor behind her. At that moment the door to her right opened and Roscoe stepped through as the cloaked creature advanced. Roscoe aided Bernadette. Dramos who was out of sight hurled a prepared shocking grasp at the figure, evidently a female Druid. The electricity from the cantrip flowed around but did not strike the figure. The Druid swung her staff with both hands but failed to hit Dramos. Dramos managed to hit the Druid as did Roscoe. The Druid failed another attack and then dove out of the widow behind her. All 3 heard the snap as her neck hit the ground first. The female Druid was dead.
Back together the group searched the winery to ensure no more enemies lurked hidden. They searched the Druids and a number of items were recovered. Davian and his family came into the winery and were upset to find the vats poisoned. Ragul told them he could fix that but they would have to wait until the next day before he could.
Davian again thanked the group and handed Niall a book wrapped in an expensive cloth, embroidered with gold thread it depicted a scene of the castle overlooking Barovia village bathed in bright sunlight and a wedding procession.
The group healed. Worked out a watch rota and settled in for the night.
Dramos identified the objects they had found.
A cloak of many fashions.
A Mace
A short sword
A Druid Staff called Gulthias Staff
A wand of secrets
A green gem about the size of a goose egg.
During the night Niall read a few excerpts from the Book of Strahd.
(Green gem will be explained at next session).
Player Information
Bernadette: Cloak of many fashions (aids disguise) and Wand of Secrets (finds traps and hidden doors)
Niall: +1/+1 short sword which also gives out light on command as a bonus action.
Book: Is the book of Strahd.
Bomber: +1/+1 Mace which also allows the holder to have his voice carried 300ft as an action.
Dramos: Staff of Gulthias, evil scary aura to beasts. replenish hit points from a successful attack. Evil plant based creatures view holder as non hostile. If destroyed by fire or broken will destroy all evil plant based creatures within 300ft.
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