Story Thread

[jasonandsleep]

"LONG HAVE I WAITED FOR THE ONE WHO IS WORTHY, MY SPEAR HUNGERS FOR BLOOD!" The voice said. echoing through Mike's brain.

And Mike liked the sound of it. When she felt the tug toward the Cairn on the top of the hill she didn't resist. It's funny when she took this job it had been just so she could pick up a little coin and distract Cheeks from the gloomy thoughts that seemed to live inside her skull. But during the ten days in this cursed land of wandering monsters and murderous mansions Mike had really enjoyed herself.
Okay...okay, the part where she had set the kid on fire had been bad, but she couldn't have known that it was in there! What kind of buttjester sells their only kid for party cookies! Gods below, she should have killed those parents, that kid was better off on his own! But fate has cursed her with a party full of clerics and paladins. More's the pity.
It's funny back in her old job she had helped more than one "holy man" break their vows with there god. But these lot seemed to be the real deal. Actual selfless heroes looking to make the world a better place. Mike couldn't help but admire them even as she thought their goals naive.
Mike was a woman of business, and while she was more than willing to risk her life to help others. She asked that in return for her good work that her ledger balanced out in her favor rather than her deficit. Was that so wrong?
Rideyr would probably say yes, but while Mike and Rideyr often fought battles shoulder to shoulder, they never met eye to eye. That was why the whole business with the Sunsword had very nearly come to blows. Mike was willing to give up the sword (it was clearly a sword best suited for a Paladin), but a childhood on the streets and an adolescence in the sheets had taught her to never give up something for nothing. That kind of selflessness just wasn't in her.
Though, she really did feel bad about the whole hag thing, especially since Mike would've probably been the hags number one target if she slept instead of tranced. But hey, she had helped kill them, not as much as Stein, or Zola or Ridyr himself, but she had helped.
She wished Cheeks was here, her cat always understood her. But Cheeks was off being sad in Krezk. Mourning the loss of her dead wife in a dead town. She wished she knew a way to cheer her up or at least distract her for a while. But whenever they weren't in battle, Mike could see that the same bad memories were flooding back in. Cheeks had said she would catch up and Mike believed her, if anyone could navigate the roads of Barovia by herself it was Cheeks.

"RETRIEVE IT AND RULE THESE MOUNTAINS IN MY STEAD!"

"Sure why not," Mike thought ruefully "I'll rule some mountains and maybe later I'll proclaim myself Princess of the Valleys, just give me your twice damned spear already! When I stabbed those hags earlier they reacted like I'd poked them with a salad fork!"

"JUST LIKE THE MIGHTY WARRIORS FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WHISPERING WALL."

"I don't know...i mean, okay sure why not. Mike runs up to the cairn, and it was when she was within sixty feet of it, that it finally occurred to her that this might be a trap, she stopped in her tracks. "Gods I wish Cheeks were here."
"Um, Idiot, I've been standing behind you for like three minutes."
Mike spun around, relieved and delighted. "Kitty! when did you get here."
"Three minutes ago.. as I said, I said hi but you had this look on your face like you were trying to pass gas out of your ears and then you bolted up the hill like an idiot...care to explain.
Mike explains.
"Oh," cheeks replies. "That's probably a trap."
"and that's why I'm glad my favorite feline is here, you want to use reach around with your magic hand and grab a dead man's spear?"
and for the first time, in a long time, Cheeks gave Mike the ghost of a smile.

[Chris]

Krezk

Something Old: Ilya Risen from the Dead - at least he's happy

Something New: Dimira Yolensky gives birth to a healthy baby with no soul

Something Borrowed: Be a lamb and fetch me a wedding gown

Vallaki: Cecil spotted

On the run again

Old Bonegrinder

A Coven of Hags

A Winery destroyed

Yester Hill

An audience and a Tree Blight

Further signs of corruption



Time at end of session: Day 9, 11:51am



MVP Steve Penna as

Steinbjorn Rexxor Grimarsson




our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[Aileen]

There is a knock on the door as the Burgomaster weeps, startling most of us. It's a strange time of night to be making visits. A loud, beautiful voice echoes through the house, telling Dmitry Krezkov to open the door. It's the Abbot, just the man we came to see! He doesn't want to open the door, however, as he doesn't trust him. He doesn't say why, but opens the door anyway.

The Abbot is gorgeous. I nearly swoon at the sight of this man standing in the doorway. His hair is perfect, framing a finely chiseled face, his robes pristine and holy symbol of the Morninglord shining upon his sculpted chest. I barely register what he tells the Burgomaster until Rideyr whispers something about him claiming to be bringing back the dead.

I soon gather that the Burgomaster's son was lost to illness, and apparently the Abbot is going to bring him back. Tomorrow morning. He will return then...

"Necromancy?" I whisper to Rideyr. He nods, a look of distrust crossing his face.

The Abbot turns and leaves, but I remember what we wanted to get from him. I run past the now excited Burgomaster, out the front door.

"Wait, sir Abbot! Our friend needs healing, can you help him?!"

He doesn't turn around, just holds up a hand dismissively.

"All matters will wait until tomorrow."

I run back inside, defeated. I'm worried about Rideyr having another dream attack. And I was really hoping the Abbot would talk to me, but no matter. I'll see him bright and early.

The Burgomaster goes to dig up the body of his son, and Creed helps him. I stay inside and well away from this disgusting and borderline evil process. The dead should be left alone to rest. After the body is brought to the basement, we are given rooms. I cram in with the clerics, taking a bed while the guys sleep on the floor. The ladies have a room, but if I'm staying in a house with a dead body I'm sleeping with holy people nearby- I don't give a damn about propriety. I'm creeped out and tired, and fall asleep almost immediately.

Morning comes, and I rise early to clean myself up and do my hair. I have a tiny bit of makeup, and do my best to outline my eyes, but probably just make myself look tired as I don't have a mirror. We all meet in the parlor, where the dead boy is laid out.

"Dmitry Krezkov, stand away from the body."

The Abbot seems to come out of nowhere, none of us heard him come in! I quickly perk up, trying to look my best. He stands over the dead boy and casts a spell. The boy sits up, and begins giggling. The Burgomaster and his wife are overjoyed, and it would be lovely and all if only there were not the creepy laughter coming from the boy. I have horrible vibes from this whole thing, and some of my party seems to feel the same way. The Abbot slowly walks away.

"My lord, I have no way to repay you!" The Burgomaster cries.

The Abbot names his price. A wedding dress. If he is not given it, then the Burgomaster will be made his son's previous state... the most eloquent death threat I have ever heard! But what does he need a wedding dress for? Why must all the handsome guys be taken?!

The Abbot leaves, and I follow him through the door. He slowly walks away down the front path, and I jog to catch up to him. I see an older woman running by at the same time, and my interest is piqued.

"Wait! Our friend needs healing, you said you could help-"

"I will do what is required when I get what I have asked for. Good day."

He walks away. I should have known someone so good looking would be a terrible person. This poor family is screwed if we don't find a wedding dress. I see the woman still, and decide to run and see what she is running for. I catch up to her.

"Are you a midwife too?" She asks me.

"Ummm..." I stammer.

"Well, come on! There's a birth happening now, I need your help!"

Creed and Chad catch up to me, catching the tail end of our brief exchange. I want to turn back, but the three of us get sucked into going to the house with this woman, and find a woman in labor. I regret all my choices that led to this moment.

"Get to work, you three! I need towels and hot water!"

Creed is nearly in tears from holding in laughter as I run around in a panic trying to help. Chad doesn't seem bothered. I'm scarred for life by what I witness. Finally, the baby is born, and I try my hardest to breathe and not faint or puke. The baby is silent, not crying. The midwife looks deeply troubled. Chad goes to talk to her as she cleans up after handing the baby to his mother.

"Learn anything today, Zola?" Creed asks, putting a clawed hand on my shoulder.

"Don't run off without the rest of the party?"

"Well, yes. Also what you just saw... that's what happens when you're more focused on boys than anything else. Maybe try to enjoy being a teenager for a little while longer?"

"Yeah... I guess you're right. That was horrifying."

We find out from the midwife that the baby was born without a soul, and that is why he does not cry. Unfortunately it is too common an occurence in Barovia. There is a finite number of souls, and when one person dies their soul goes to another body. Sometimes there are no available souls, and babies are born like this. The soulless live normal lives, but deprived of joy and the simple pleasures of being human. They just exist. I couldn't imagine a more terrible way to live.

The midwife leaves, and we say our congratulations to the new mother before setting out. As she rocks the newborn, I find the courage to ask what may be an insensitive question, but better asked than not.

"You wouldn't happen to have an old wedding dress lying around, would you?"

"No, I was just married in normal clothes. Perhaps the Burgomaster's wife would have one?"

We leave the house after Chad prays over the child, and I almost immediately throw up my entire breakfast on the front lawn, after holding it back while trying to be professional. Birth is disgusting, and I never want to have to see that again. And the soul problem in Barovia... thinking about the lost souls, including my cousin... I don't stop puking and crying until Creed pats my back with reassuring words, and I get control of myself. Chad leads the way back to the house, and we notice a gazebo with a glittering pool nearby which may be good to check out.

We walk in the house and the kid is still giggling. It is more than unsettling. Chad and Creed brought up the possibility that the baby's soul is what's in this boy. I hate to even think about it.

"Zola, you're really pale. Everything okay?" Steinbjorn asks.

"She's a bit traumatized," Creed says with a laugh. "Witnessed the miracle of life."

"It was horrible." I sit down, dizzy and trying to forget about it. "Also, she didn't have a wedding dress. You don't have one, Mrs. Krezkov?"

"No, dear. I do have an idea, though."

Anna tells us there should be a dressmaker in Vallaki. She will lead a group of Krezkite guards to Vallaki and purchase one there. She asks us to accompany her to supplement her own guards.

"We can't go to Vallaki." I say, and instantly wish I hadn't said anything.

"Why not?"

"We almost got arrested. For something stupid."

"We were trying to catch a big cat." Creed says.

Anna looks confused and concerned. We try our best to rectify the situation, but they don't buy it.

"I am willing to overlook you lot being in trouble with the law if you escort my wife. What happens beyond that, I cannot help you with."

And so the Dawn Breakers became Krezkite guards, dressed in their uniforms to hide our identities as best as we can. I tie a red cloth like a band around my ears and forehead, tying it in back. It hides my ears very well, and with a little carefully placed dirt I look very much like a dirty Barovian human.

We stop at the shrine with the pool before we go. It appears to be a statue of the Morninglord, but Rideyr recognizes it as Lothander. It's clear they are probably the same God. The pool is unnaturally sparkly considering the lack of sunlight, and the gazebo around the statue is about to fall down. Rideyr prays while the rest of us check out the pool. Cecil takes a drink, and says he feels pretty invigorated. We can't figure out if its healing waters or what, but it does give off magic. After discussing potentially rebuilding the gazebo, and realizing we don't have time, Creed decides to splash Rideyr with some of the water. For a moment I think Steinbjorn or Rideyr will kill her, but she is left off with a warning.

Before we leave, I'm struck with an idea. I take my sword from its sheath, and slice my palm open.

"Zola, what the hell?!" Stein goes to stop the bleeding, but I hold up my finger for him to wait. I put my sword back, and reach into the water with my good hand. Taking a drink, I feel great! But my hand is still gushing blood.

"Okay, it's not healing water!"

"There are other ways to figure that out without hurting yourself." Stein scolds me while he bandages my hand.

We can hear the sounds of people bidding Anna and her posse farewell, so we hurry along to join her, grabbing the horses from where we tied them. The Burgomaster makes sure to remind us to bring back wine or don't come back at all.

The ride back to Vallaki is uneventful, save for Mike's familiar suddenly appearing to lose half it's flesh... it now has a skeletal wing, but does not seem to be bothered by it. We make it to the gates, and I hold my breath as we pass the guards. They are suspicious, but none of us seem to be recognized.

"Halt! You have amongst you a wanted criminal!"

Cecil is surround by guards leveling spears at him. He puts his hands up, Popov too. They tell us he will be brought to Strahsny, and fortunately none of us are accused of harboring a criminal.

"Take me, officer!" Cecil says, dramatically throwing his hands in front of him to be shackled.

"We just want to arrest you!"

Unfortunately we have to let them take Cecil. We tell Anna to meet us at the Inn, and then set out for the church while she goes on a mission to find a dress. Unfortunately the priest is unable to perform any healing magic that could cure Rideyr.

"Have you tried to destroy the creature that did this to you?"

We did. The old b**** can hide in a different plane though. Fortunately the priest has an idea what she is... a night hag. They are able to travel to the ethereal plane at night and haunt dreams. She will keep doing so until Rideyr is dead if we do not stop her. After putting all the clues together we get the idea that she is probably at the windmill, considering her cookies were shaped like them. The same windmill we were told to avoid at all costs.

After the church, we check on Cecil who is now in the stocks, reassuring him that we will come back at nightfall and rescue him. We then head to the Blue Water Inn to wait for Anna to report back about the dress. I get a ration out to feed my raven friends outside the door, but when we get there, they are gone. Instead I am suddenly surrounded by little kids, hugging my legs and nearly knocking me over with affection.

"Zola! Zola!"

"We thought you left! We missed you!"

I hug them all back.

"I'm back! Let's get inside, probably not wise to be saying my name out here!"

We all go in, and I split the cookie with my little friends. The little wereravens are adorable, and I find it difficult to peel away from them to get to the bar. The Martikovs are happy to see me, and Davian is even there!

"I have a favor to ask of you and your friends," he says.

"Anything for you!"

He tells us that the three magic seeds that they use to make their wine have been taken, and are now missing. One of his sons took them, in an attempt to start his own winery. They had a falling out, but have now made up. The seeds, however, were taken from his son. One is known to be in Yester Hill, and another in Berez. The third one, he does not know the location of. They're green and glowing and the size of pinecones, so we can't miss them. If they do not have the seeds, they can only make Purple Grape Smash, and no other wines.

"We can't have that! The Red Dragon Crush is the best wine known to man!" I think I might cry. "We will find the seeds!"

"Good! I knew we could count on you. And you said you needed wine? How much?"

"Enough for Krezk, they're completely out."

"We can give you a barrel from the winery. That should be enough. Your horse can pull it."

Two hours later Anna returns with bad news. None of the dressmakers can make a dress in her budget or within the timeframe. However, the Burgomaster of Vallaki's wife has an old wedding gown that fits the bill and she is willing to give it to us. The problem is, her husband refuses to give anything to Krezk. We are going to have to find a way to get it.

As we are speaking to Anna, Cecil appears. He doesn't say anything until he is sitting in a barstool, both he and Popov looking guilty.

"Hi, guys! I escaped!"

We are all shocked and worried. Suddenly we can hear voices shouting outside, and within moments guards voices marching up and down the street.

"Get the gnome, under penalty of death!"

"Cecil..." Steinbjorn puts his face in his palm.

"Is there anywhere we can hide him?" I ask Danika.

"Out of town."

"You have empty wine barrels?"

The Martikovs help me load up an empty barrel on a cart behind my horse Oskar, and one behind Steinbjorn's horse, Ozzy. Cecil crawls into my barrel, and we seal him up.

"We will create a distraction at the back gate, and you go out the front." Davian tells me. "It should buy you enough time. We hope to see you soon. Stay safe!"

We ride out of town with no interruption, and don't stop until the gate is far behind us. I stop to let Cecil out, and he gets onto Rideyr's horse. I was planning to go to the winery, but then we decide since the windmill is on the way... we may as well see if the old hag is there. Getting Rideyr cured is a high priority. He is my mentor and a dear friend, and I can't imagine losing him.

We don't make it to the windmill before we run into more wildlife. A great direwolf leaps out of the woods, narrowly missing Rideyr. I send a fire bolt at it as my horse trots by, and Rideyr finishes it off with the Sunsword. Ten minutes later we come to the Windmill. A raven perched above the doorway is squawking frantically, but I can't figure out what it wants.

"It's giving us a warning!" Creed says. As if she can communicate with ravens. That's my job!

There are more ravens flying over a corpse of large megaliths, and I kick Oskar forward to see them. We arrive at the stones and there's one raven sitting on top of a megalith depicting a city at autumn, pecking something. The other stones all have the other seasons on them. The raven takes the pastry it was packing, and drops it in the middle of the stones. I hop down from Oskar and pick it up. A windmill cookie! Then I see what's underneath.

"Ugh! Teeth!"

Creed joins me, and picks the teeth up.

"They're children's teeth!" She holds one up. "I'll hold onto them."

This place is creepier than I thought. Now we know the kids that are being traded for baked goods are either being tortured or killed. We head back to the windmill, and Cecil wants to pretend to be a child and lure them out... nobody answers the door, so Steiny kicks it down. We enter into a filthy kitchen with something baking in the oven and a new looking peddlers cart... this is definitely where the old hag came from! From upstairs when can hear shrieks and cackling, and we waste no time heading upstairs. Mike goes in first to the next level, and I hear her speaking to someone, but I'm too far back to catch it. It's not until I hear an old woman screaming for Bella and Offalia that I run into the room. Stein runs in after me, casting his skeletal warriors.

Unfortunately it is a quite crammed space, and by the time most of the party enters I realize I'm standing right at the foot of the next stairway going up. Two more hags appear, and cast spells at me. I feel magical force slam into me, hard, and suddenly I don't feel so great. I reach out and grab "Bella", shocking her, and she seems pissed off- but turns her attention to Steinbjorn. Rideyr comes up next to me, sunsword blazing. Bella and Offalia keep hitting Stein with magic, and I keep getting back at Bella with my lightning fingers. She slashes at me with her nasty claws, and I raise my shield just in time to be met with a horrid scratching sound. I strike back, digging my nails into her flesh as I shock her once again. This time it really hurts her, and she stands there for a few moments like she doesn't even know where she is. Rideyr strikes her once more, and she dies.

I send magic missiles at Offalia, and Chad finishes off Morganeth.

"I'm the mother now!" Cackles Offalia.

Rideyr hits her, I magic missle once more, and then Creed takes her down with a blast. At last all the evil b***es are dead!

"Hello?" A small voice cries from upstairs. I spare no time dashing up the stairs, and come into a room with three crates stacked in a closet. Little cries come from within, and we go up to find that its three little children trapped inside.

They say they don't want to go home, as their parents abandoned them. I ask where they wish to go if not there, as we are not really the best people to be keeping children.

"Do you know Ireena and Ismark?" A little girl asks.

"Yeah, actually!"

"We want to go to them! They are nice. Ireena is the most beautiful woman. Her smile lights up every room-"

"Yeah, yeah. Look kid, I've just been through a battle."

"You are woman?" She asks, scrunching her face. "I thought you were a warrior!"

I hate these damn kids. We spend the night here, and then move out to Van Richten's tower in the morning to drop off the little s***s. Along the road we run into the ghostly apparition of a skeletal warhorse and rider that stops us in our tracks. Fortunately it doesn't attack us, and even ignores Creed trying to talk to it. Sufficiently spooked, we hurry up and get to the tower at a faster clip. Ireena, Ismark and Big and Dumb are all fine, and tell us that nobody has come out of the tower since they've been camping there.

"Well, Ireena, my dear friend," I say, helping the little girl that rode with me down from the saddle. "Since you are such a beautiful woman whose smile lights up the world, I thought you might be a good mother to these poor children. Congratulations!"

"I've always thought so!" Big and Dumb beams at Ireena. I gag.

The kids are left with those three, and we head to the Wizard of Wines. On the ride there we pass a sign that says Berez, but we head straight for the winery.

"Guys, I have good news," i announce as we ride along. "I've been doing some soul searching, and I've realized I no longer wish to marry Ismark!"

"Good. You're seventeen, Zola- you shouldn't be thinking about marrying anyone!" Steinbjorn chastises me.

Rideyr suddenly stops his horse, and gets down to examine something in the road. He holds up a metal trap, now disabled.

"A wolf trap. This wasn't here the last time we came through." He says.

"Looks like our trapper friend was out to get us." Says Chad.

I take the trap and attach it to Oskar's saddle before we continue on. Maybe we can put it to better use than trapping unknowing horse legs on the road. Finally we get to the Wizard of Wines, and my heart drops at the sight before us. The grape fields are utterly destroyed, the tracks of a large creature leading off in the direction of what we now know is Yester Hill. Riding up to the winery we find that nobody is here, completely abandoned. I keep myself in check as I unload the wine wagons, feeling an immense anger that my beloved wereraven family keeps getting attacked and having their business disrupted.

The horses take us along the trail following the creature tracks, and after an hour and a half of searching we come up to a hill ringed in cairns of slimy black rocks. A single bolt of lightning strikes it, illuminating a field of dead grass and the remains of what was once a statue. Ahead, a withered and eerily moving tree looms. And then I see a man in black clothes and cloak lined in red riding upon a magnificent black steed with fire upon his hooves. Did someone slip me one of those dream pastries? That seems like something my dear friend Cecil would do to get back at me for keeping him in a barrel...

"We've got company." Rideyr mutters with a growl. I guess he sees him too, so I'm not crazy!

Creed is yammering on about the ghosts of children she spoke to back in the tower, as if she doesn't see Strahd himself riding towards us in the sky.

"I'm surrounded by crazy people." I sigh, at my wits end.

Stein and Rideyr shield bump with me as we approach the tree, warily watching Strahd circling above. At least we think it is him. Who else would be extra enough to ride around on a fire horse in that outfit! Cecil is staring at him intently, and I can't say I blame him. I thought the Abbot was a beautiful man, but Maybe-Strahd takes the cake! I feel my heart flutter as he gallops forward toward us, and not purely out of fear. Suddenly he appears closer to us, and I get a better look at him.

"You did not accept my last invite," he says, his voice velvety smooth. "I can't say I wasn't a little hurt, but I can forgive your rudeness. I hope to see you soon at the castle."

He disappears, and I snap back to reality. Did that actually happen?

"Zola, you're drooling." Creed whispers.

I wipe my lip, and shake my head.

"Someone has a crush!" She laughs.

No, I do not have a crush on Strahd Von Zarovich, Prince of Barovia... ugh! I march towards the evil looking tree. Upon closer inspection, I can see a faint green glow in the tree. One of the seeds! I send a firebolt at the tree, and it springs to life!

The tree reaches out and grabs Rideyr with a branch, and begins battering and biting him. I run forward and grab the trunk, shocking it out of anger for hurting my friend. Rideyr misty steps out, whacking it with the Sunsword as it grabs him again. It then gets Stein, and I barely react in time to run after him when I'm slammed in the back by a branch. The wind is knocked from my lungs, and I'm slammed into the trunk. Another branch gets me again, and I feel like I may die. The pain is overwhelming, and I'm in a bad position pressed right up to the bark. I really, really hate trees now. Poor Stein is also being battered, and I fear we won't survive this battle against nature! At last, Chad casts a stream of lighting out of his hand, and the tree glows blue and shudders before cracking, branches falling all about. I reach in and grab the seed, which glows green in my hand. One found, two more to go!

"I've got one of the seeds!" I gasp, limping back to the party. "I'll hold onto it."

I put the seed in my pack, hoping it stays safe. Restoring this winery is of utmost importance! Steinbjorn hands out more booberries, and I choke them down. As soon as they hit my throat I feel a little better, despite being terribly battered and bruised. We follow after Mike who seems to be looking for something on the hill, and ahead we spy another tree. This one is even more gruesome, and has bloodlike sap dripping from it. In its stump is a battle-axe, and below it lies a skeleton and some creatures with needles in them. Another tree fight seems to be in store for us, and possibly more blights.

"Stein, I want that. It would make me look bad-axe!"

"Zola... you should probably just stick to fighting."

"I didn't axe your opinion."

Steiny sighs. That axe has my name all over it, and this other tree is going down! I've got a date at the castle, and I want to show up looking my best with a fancy new weapon.

~ Zola

[Jeff]

After our battle with the night hags, I appreciate a moment to sit down, rest, gather my thoughts and reflect on what has transpired. This was a difficult battle waged in close quarters and everyone performed admirably. I was especially fueled by getting the curse broken, but even more so to stop these abominations from hurting any more children. It’s clear that they were using the bodies of local children to make their pies, and that sickens me. I’ve come across many forms of evil in my time, but this takes it to a new level. This land has a sickness on it, and it’s name is Strahd. I’m a humble man and arrogance angers me and Strahd is certainly that as we witnessed him flying on his horse and inviting us to his castle. Cecil seems intrigued by him and I notice Zola intently looking at him I immediately remind both of them to be careful. Once again we refuse to accept any invitation as we want to meet him on our own terms.

We finally get the chance to sleep, and I relish the opportunity to rest without the hag haunting me. I sleep soundly but am still weary when I wake; I suspect it will take some time to recover from the after effects of this curse. I look at everyone, and once again I’m overwhelmed by their generosity and how much they risked to help me get well. I take some time to reflect on some other things I’m thankful for...

Zola telling me that I’m a dear friend and a mentor and the way she always jumps in to do what’s right. I admire that and learn from her as well. 

Steinbjorn’s determination. 

Shield bumping with Zola and Steinbjorn. It’s nice to feel a part of something big. 

Chad always looking out for me.

Cecil’s exuberance about his latest plan and of course anything Popov.

I’m sure there are more things, but those are what come to me in this moment and it’s time to move on.

I am heartbroken as we ride up to the Wizards of Wine and see that it has been destroyed. Where is the family? What has done this? We check the area and find no signs of the family but we do see some odd tracks that lead away from the winery. We follow the tracks to find a huge, ancient looking tree and see that one of the seeds we’ve been searching for is inside it. The tree comes alive and after a difficult battle Chad delivers the killing blow. I’m happy for him and us that we were able to defeat this thing. Zola retrieves the seed, and I’m thankful that everyone is all right.

Once again afforded a moment to rest, my mind reflects on our recent escapades in Villaki. I can’t help but feel that we’re going to need something else from this village in order to accomplish our mission and now we’ve had to escape twice. I have nothing to base these feelings on, but I do know that if we have to return it’s not going to be easy and we may have to face the town guard in battle. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, but we need to be more mindful of the overall goal of the mission.

One thing we need to do is get Ireena to Krecz; she’s not safe camping outside of the tower. I fear that Strahd is going to swoop in on his flying horse and abduct her. I don’t understand why Van Richten won’t let them in his tower, but it’s not safe.

We continue to grow as a group and have done much that is good for the people of Barovia. We have much more to do, and it’s time to get to it.

Peace,

Rideyr

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 12

We ventured back to Vallaki in hopes to find a wedding dress for the abbot. Upon entering the city, my cover was blown, the guards saw right past my disguise. Thankfully, that scary guy with the demon arm was busy, so I was left in the middle of town in the stocks to be publicly humiliated. When I realized there were no guards around and I could freely move my head out of the stocks, Poppov and I made a run for it. That did alarm the guards of course, but the Dawn Breakers thankfully had enough time to gather some information around town before we had to leave. I was put in a wine barrel and off we went!

The Dawn Breakers can breathe a collective sigh of relief. We have put an end to Ryder's torment, the night hags. They put up a fearsome fight, but we killed the three night hags that inhabited the old windmill with no casualties. I was finally able to invigorate my comrades in combat, allowing them to land additional strikes. After examining the conditions of the battle, I determined Ryder would be the best party member to invigorate. Landing multiple strikes and smiting his foes made quick work of the hags. Creed wasn't able to participate in combat for part of the battle, but when she did, she certainly made her presence known! She is stronger than she seems, don't let her complaints about creaking bones fool you!

After that we headed off to the winery. We discovered it was in ruin. We followed the trail in pursuit of whatever did this. We came upon an sentient tree that seems to hold one of the seeds we were suppose to get for the wine makers. During this battle, Strahd made an unexpected appearance! He knew an unnerving amount of information about Poppov and I. I guess it is true what they say, he has eyes and ears everywhere. I do admit it was impressive seeing Strahd. His mere presence exudes power...power I wish to claim for myself...maybe not in the same way he attained it. He did tell me something, something only I could hear. I dare not udder the words, nor would I risk writing them. I am being tested, but I will not falter. The Dawn Breakers have a mission and nothing will get in our way.

[Jeff]

My mind is troubled as I ponder recent events. Strahd has sent a wagon for us twice—inviting us to his castle both times. But the most troubling part was when he appeared in person flying through the sky on his horse with flaming hooves. He invited us once again but seemed to direct part of his attention directly at Cecil and Cecil seemed to listen.

Strahd is incredibly powerful and immensely evil, and it’s clear he’s playing a game with us and part of the game is to use his power to seduce people to the side of evil. He’s toying with us and having his fun before he launches his attack. We’ve been successful so far, but at some point he will tire of us and end the game.

I’m convinced that the temptations will continue to increase, and I’m concerned that some people in the party may give in. Even though Cecil is my friend, I worry that he could be seduced by power, and I plan on speaking with him about it. I don’t have any concerns about Chad, Steinbjorn and Zola, but I do when it comes to the others. If we are to have any chance against Strahd and his evil allies, we need to stick together and keep a unity of purpose. We need to shelve any sense of selfishness and greed and work towards the higher goal of freeing the people of Barovia.

[dragonforgotten]

While we were trying to do damage control someone has begin to rap against the manors wooden door. Who the could that be at this hour. Why it’s the abbot! Yay! He’s very curt man. He says some interesting things. He said he can bring the dead back to life. My heart soars with hope and I can’t help but think back to Eliza and the shade that currently clings to Zola. He’s doomed in this place. Forever to wonder not quite dead but not quite alive either. Charging the castle with the many others. He’s running out of time. Hearing this new also seems to light a spark of hope in The Burgomaster as he immediately stopped crying and breaks out into a smile.
“You’ll bring my son back! Truly! Thank you! Oh thank you!”
“Just have the body ready for tomorrow morn and I shall conduct the ritual to call his soul back.” The man wastes no time in leaving. Some of us take this new with less excitement than me or the Burgomaster. To paladin and clerics this sudden great news with a pinch of salt. Me, I'm over the moon. He gets his boy back, I might have found just the man to help raise Eliza. Of course, it could be a poly. Then i just snap some necks. No harm done. The boys life was cut short, why not give him a second chance. They do have a point that the man is very sketchy. Too sketchy. Might be a quack. I watched from the door way as the gang rushed to the abbot begging his heal to fix Ryder but apparently all will be revealed in the morning. How self assured. I wondered to he back of the manor to find the burgermister furiously digging away talking to his son through feet’s of dirt. This is going to take awhile.
“I can help.” I tell him and then elaborately twist my hands and words into magic as the dirt separating father from son is parted and reveals the well crafted coffin. He blinks stupefied till he turns to me with a. Grateful bow.
“Thanks you.”
He then opens the coffin and lifts the still fresh body out of ground whispering to the dead son that everything will be ok. Oh what a joyous reunion! They’ll all be together again.
"If I may, how did your boy die?"
He doesn't say, too wrapped up in holding his boy as he carried him inside giddy with joy. Eh, I'll ask him later.
The stein, chad and Ryder tried to tell the man its a bad idea but he’s not hearing any of it.
"Oh would you look at the time! Its time for bed! Bed time everyone! Bright and early tomorrow!" I practically skip to my room and sleep like the dead.
--------

After putting on my illusory face I give my hair a quick comb and a smile. Thanks to grandpas help i will always look beautiful and ready for battle even when I'm not. Grandpa always tells me that weakness is a danger. One must always appear strong even when ones appearances does not match their power. Got the room to myself last night. Zola wussed and bunkered with all the holy underpants guys. Theres no ghosts here silly. I kick open the door to the groans of everyone except Ryder and Cecil. Ryder looks even more like a zombie than a zombie. He starts nodding off till Cecil slaps him in the face and he snorts awake.
"Rise and shine. We have the laws of nature to defy!"
More groans meet my ears and eventually were eagerly waiting for the preist with the body on the table, Ryder barely keeping his eyes open but managing through paladin pride. I check my watch and just as the man of the hour arrives. We watch edger and nervous as the man rolls up her sleeves and begins. The boy sits up and blinks awake and then he starts laughing. What a joyful moment that I join him to!
"He's alive again! You see that Zola! Look how happy he is!" She makes a face and hides behind the clerics. The preist then gives his demands. Wow. Not even a minute for the family to enjoy this moment. He demands to be payed with a wedding dress. He also refuses to help us unless we get the dress as well. What a strange thing he asks for. A preist who doesn't offer aid at all suddenly asks for payment and clothing at that. Womens clothing. Wow. I did'nt think a man of the cloth would have such wild tastes, also that he may be working for strahd. Eh, tomatoes, blood, whats the difference. I glance at the boy. come to think of it he's been laughing for a long time. Must be really happy to be alive. I want to do an inspection on him but Zola runs off and me and Chad follow. Before i know it I'm getting orders barked at me and I'm running about this random ladies house becoming a midwife to an expecting mother. I even have to get my hands dirty when one of the ninnys fainted. Zola looks as white as the sheets and I cant help but bark with laughter as I hold the bloody babe. 
"Whats the matter! this is joyous day! One soul has been delivered from death and another created!" Zola squirms so I put a free bloody hand (unseen claw) with the babe in the crook of my arm.
"Learn anything today, Zola?" 
"Don't run off without the rest of the party?"
"Well, yes. Also what you just saw... that's what happens when you're more focused on boys than anything else. Maybe try to enjoy being a teenager for a little while longer?"
"Yeah... I guess you're right. That was horrifying."
I bark with laughter again.
"Shell learn yet! Isn't that right little one!" I glance at the babe
It's then i notice as i help wash the blood off that the babe doesn't cry. they lay in my arms staring a dead stare. There eyes are empty. I want to lift my eye patch to check but now isn't the time. there is something wrong with the child and the face of the midwife is unfazed. My smile drops. This isn't a joyous afternoon. I hand the babe to the mother and she smiles a sorrowful expression as the babe suckles his thumb.
I take the midwife outside.
"What happened to the babe? Theres something wrong with it."
"Oh you don't know?" She then tells us the nature of Barovians. They have a finite amount of souls here and when one dies its recycles. When one soul is taken the new body becomes an empty shell. they live just like any other person but they lack humanity. Does that mean they vanish should they die? What a disturbing existence. Isn't it better then for them to simple not exist then to be claimed by cruel deaths embrace and vanish like soap bubbles. I don't know. Its not my place to ask such head-aching questions. I'll find out how to deal with these living dead later. As we returned the manor we past a neat gazebo with a nice statue and pond. Once we got back I return to the boy alone staring into his eyes with my sole one. I don't need the dead eye, this is trival. His eyes are full of life, theres a soul behind them. I think back to what I've learned.
"Ah, i see. You were suppose to be that babe but we pulled you back." I cocked my head and smile kneeling to his eye level.
"Tell me? How did you like being dead? It's a very important question."
I don't get an answer the boy breaks into louder laughter, so l drop my questions.
"You are well in body but not in mind. Your soul cries in aguish but it wont be for long. The pain will heal in time as all pain does. I know your mind is not well. Mine isnt either but it does heal." the boy just continues laughing as i pat him on the head and leave.
Theres squabbling about getting into Valaki. We need to get back in there to get a dress from the other rich lady. Bicker bicker bicker! Then i look at wifes guards.
"Why don't we dress up like her guards. We're already escorting her anyway." Suddenly all eyes turn to me and i stare back at them. What? Oh, my sanity is showing.
"I like muffins. Dont you guys?"
------------

We visit the gazbo before heading off. the statue is Ryders gods if alittle aged and its area old and rotting.me and Cecil take a sip out of the magic pond and feel refreshed. I think this will help Ryder. He looks more and more like a zombie by the minute. I splash him a little and he gets all pissy. Kill joy. Trying to help. He must be cranky from getting no sleep. I mount Jerry and we make it there no problem until cecil is caught by the Valki dogs of the law. Were powerless to stop him from begin locked into the stockades. As the lady of kryst talks to her friend we meet up with our booze hook ups and meet their adorable children who mob Zola. They need help getting seeds or no dragon crush. No crush makes me a dull warlock. its a yes. We soon receive news that not only will we need to break into the Valkis house to get the dress but also we need to skip town. Before leaving were told the key to curing ryder is killing the hags. We have clues on where she is. It's time we face the windmill.
--------------

We arrive as the sun begins to set, a raven is giving zola the eye from its perch above the windmill and i catch it.
"I think it's telling us it's dangerous inside."
"how do you know that?!"
"I don't know. I don't speak bird." as the bird flies we spy more circling a could of stone monoliths. neat! One of the birds drop a windmill cookie a few feet away from us and under it we find little teeth. children teeth. I scoop them up.
"Don't worry you'r safe now." I tell them as i pocket them. the darkness chases us inside the mill and we spy all the horrible things hags do. The gang rushes up stairs as I mill about and I find ghost after ghost of little kids and their tiny bones that i gentle pocket and bag, gentle reassuring them as I ask who did this to them. They don't speak of couse, I cant hear them but they all point above. the sky? No the stairs, as I hear the battle rage above. My blood boils. I like kids! I clutch the tiny teeth in my hands and with the little ghosts behind me I march up stairs. I see three. Three that wont leave here alive. As i stride forward i stop and lock eyes with the Hag that started all this mess, eye blazing with eldritch fire. I hold up the tiny teeth between my knuckles.
"For the children." I growl and send a sharp bolt of energy into her knees as they break from under her but that isnt all. She bursts into green fire as she crumbles. My head snaps with an unsettling popping of bones.
"And this is for little Timmy." I blast and the force of it knocks her head off her shoulders. The fight is won. The kids have been avenged. Ryder thanks us profusely and i smile.
"Its like i said. We would never let you die."
We found two more living children to my surprise and we spend the night inside the now cleared mill with plans to shove them off to Ireene and her brother. I play with the little ghost kids before bed as Verona, the youngest tries to teach me to braid hair. I failed. The next morning Chad says he's going to go out and collect bones for burial. When i tell him no need and show him the bones i collected he sighs in relief and i help him tuck the children to bed again. Would have liked to sanctified the ground but were short on time. Elizas time is short. We need to hurry if I want to revive him. I check my watch.
------------

I had a good morning today when we ran across a skeletal horseman. I tried to strike polite conversation but it seems he's not like my gramps or his friends. he's not intelligent. I wish him well on his travels as he marches along. We come to the wizards of wine place to find a mess. Someone must have had a really wild party. I hope they still live. In our path to find a f*** up tree with a glowing pine cone inside it. Found our seed. Suddenly the tree starts thrashing about and i start ready to blast away. It's then i notice him astread a flying fire horse. Strahd and oh no he's hot and I'm not talking about the horse. Zola and cecil are staring and how can they not. Thats a damn fine man but pitty he's undead.
"Strahd! Sorry we couldnt visit. Got tied up with work!"
"You did not accept my last invite," he says, his voice velvety smooth. "I can't say I wasn't a little hurt, but I can forgive your rudeness. I hope to see you soon at the castle." She rides off and vanishes. Wonder what cecil and him were talking about?
"Zola, you're drooling." 
She wipe her lip, and shakes her head. Teenagers, he's like eons old or something. 
"Someone has a crush!" I jest as she poutes.
We finish off the tree no probs. Suddenly I'm drawned to my book hooked to by belt. The eyes of the skull on the front over begins to glow green and the jaw book latches begin to cackle and rattle like old bones as the knuckle bone locks dance about. Oh looks like grandpa has given me something. I like gifts.

-Creed

[Chris]

Yester Hill
The Gulthias Tree (so many blights)
back to the winery
found the cold room!
Creed is poisoned and comes down with Cackle Fever
long rest
morning ablutions and water gathering

Scarecrow attack!

Time at end of session: Day 10, 7:5am



MVP Aileen Russell as
Zola Farsight Stormwyk




our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[Jeff]

Barovia is such a lifeless place in so many ways, and this I believe is part of Strahd’s plan. Destroying the winery works on two levels: it actually destroys the living vines and it also works to destroy the people’s spirits as we have heard how important the wine is to them. It makes me think about the nature of evil and why people, living or undead, do what they do. I wonder if Strahd is just as much a prisoner here as we are? I wonder if he just wants to be free just as the people do? Any potential answers to these questions don’t really change what we are going to try to accomplish here, but as Cecil and Zola brought up are we here to free the people from Strahd or to free Strahd from his curse? Both maybe. I suppose it doesn’t make much difference but is there redemption for someone so evil as Strahd seems to be? I’d like to think so, but it doesn’t really change anything. He has caused so much damage to these people and these lands and has much to answer for, which I believe is why we’re here. There is just too much sadness and despair in this land: people who have no souls, no hope and no joy and this is not the way life was intended to be.

I find it interesting to see the remnants of the Morninglord here, which struck me when we saw the dilapidated gazebo in Krecz and realized that the people didn’t recognize the statue of Lathander. I don’t believe that everyone needs to believe in a higher being, and I often question my only beliefs, but the people need some hope. I need some hope, and I’d like to fix up or even rebuild the gazebo and clean up the statue at some point. Sometimes small gestures can pay large dividends when it comes to hope. We’ve done a great deal so far and have been able to help people: helping to re-sanctify the church in Villaki; returning the Vistani child to her parents; saving children from the night hags, saving the winery and much more. We have made a difference which is edifying but in the case of seeing the winery destroyed—demoralizing. But we have to keep pushing on and do what we can to rid this land of evil—whatever that may mean.

Peace,

Rideyr

[Aileen]

Apparently Mike heard a voice in her head saying to find a spear, so she, Chekasha and Creed start digging up a grave. I stand by with the clerics and Rideyr debating whether we should stop them, but also curious to see what is inside. From this hill we can see the other tree and the little needle creatures walking in circles around it, but they pay us no heed. I can't stop staring at that axe.

After standing around I start realizing I'm still pretty hurt from fighting the tree, and Rideyr isn't looking too great either. We ask Chad and Steinbjorn for more healing, but it's evident that in order to proceed into another fight we are going to have to rest a bit.

Mike gets her spear, and the skeleton is reburied after a failed attempt to speak with the dead by Creed. Nothing attacks us, and two hours later we are fresh and healthy and ready to get my axe. Or fight a tree, or whatever we have in store.

"I can try sniping them from here and draw them up!" I offer, taking out my longbow.

The group gives me leave to try it, and I get myself in position. One foot slightly back, shoulders turned, breathe in, pull back... release! The arrow sails down the hill, and that's the end of it. I groan, and try again. Somehow I trip while pulling back the string, and I go sprawling. My head hits a rock so hard I see stars.

"Are you alright?!" Chekasha pulls me to my feet, and I steady myself.

"Damn bow!" I rub the freshly bleeding bump on my forehead. "I'm okay. I just really suck at shooting."

I try one more time, and it's much the same result as the first shot. I put the bow away, frustrated. I didn't used to be this bad at archery! Rideyr claps me on the shoulder with a reassuring smile.

"Its a long way to shoot, you tried your best. We'll get you that axe."

We then spend an inordinate amount of time trying to plan the best mode of attack on the tree and potential blights. All of us get down into the cover of trees and send Chekasha in, invisible thanks to Chad, and have her get the axe. It's a great plan until the blights attack her, from what we can tell. Mike runs in with her new spear and starts rampaging against the needle blights. Others go to her aid, but I stand staring at the tree trying to figure out why it seems familiar... I know the staff I destroyed got rid of the blights back at the winery. Is this similar? The tree has blood sap... ugh, my head is pounding. I shouldn't have smashed it on a rock, I can't think straight!

I hit the tree with chromatic orb, zapping it with lightning, and throw in a fireball for good measure. It seems like a bad choice when all the blights start turning and coming after me. I scream as needles get past my chainmail, and stick into my chest- they really hurt! And now the little twig blights are leaving Mike to chase me... I'm running! I want to take out the tree, maybe it will stop the blights? The others, especially Steiny with his spirit guardians, are more than capable of taking out these blights- I trust that they will be gone before they can hurt me!

I make a wide arc around the blights, and I'm almost at the tree when something slams into me. I feel the vines wrap around my body, pinning me. The vines begin to constrict, and I feel my ribs cracking under the pressure. I guess I shouldn't have ran where I did. Everything goes black for a moment, but I snap back to life, gasping for air. Rideyr runs to my aid, Sunsword blazing, and kills the vine blight. I fall to the ground, taking blessed air into my lungs.

"Guys, I'm gonna die- kill the tree!"

"Hold on! I'm sending you the Shadows of Poppov!" Cecil calls.

"No, I'll be fine! Get the tree!"

"Alright then... Rideyr- kill the vine blights!"

Cecil points his finger at Rideyr, and suddenly my paladin friend gains a new sense of vigor- the last thing I see before another vine slams into me is the light of the Sunsword surrounding our holy warrior, and my hope is kindled.

"Get me that axe!" I call out, and then succumb to the darkness.

---

"What do we fight for, Zola?"

"Kill our enemies in the name of BAHAMUT!"

I rush my dad, swinging my wooden axe. He reaches out and places his finger against my forehead, and I find that I can't move forward anymore, swinging the axe fruitlessly in front of me.

"Yes, but killing isn't always the answer."

"LET ME RAGE!!!"

"Fine. But first, tell me why you're raging."

I stop, not really knowing. I just thought that's what I'm supposed to do.

"Because Uncle Grahz does!"

"Okay. And why does he rage?"

"Anger."

"At what?"

"At... enemies." I pull back from my dad, dropping the axe to my side. "I don't know."

Dad puts his wooden shield down, and beckons me to come sit on the bench beside the statue of my grandfather. We sit, my axe leaning against my leg as dad puts his arm around my shoulders. He looks up at the statue.

"Did your mother ever tell you how she met him? Your grandfather?"

"No... I know she was adopted."

"She was your age when he found her. He was the Commander of the Keep just as your mom is now..."

He tells me about her living on the street, no family of her own, and running into trouble with the Cult of the Dragon. An organization that tormented her most of her life, until they defeated the cult. She was taken in and shown love for the first time, and raised as his own. He died when she was away with the Waterdeep Guard, before she got hurt in a dragon attack.

"Karsi, your mom, kept fighting to protect those that she loved. After her father died, it was her company, her closest friends. They all were lost, but she didn't give up. She found a group of adventurers that became family... some of them were lost, too. And then I came along... and shortly after, there was you."

"So fighting is about love?"

"Yes, exactly. If you're not fighting to protect those you love, you are just spreading more pain. Your mother and I love you more than anything, and we would do anything to protect you. Our enemies would do anything to protect what they love, too."

"So what your saying is, if there was no love there would be no war?"

"No. There would be nothing to fight for. War always exists, no matter what. I just want you to know that every time you raise your sword, or axe or whatever you're fighting with, that you are fighting for something greater. Not to punish your enemy, but to defend those you love."

"I will. I love you. Now can I rage?"

---

I wake up to the sound of chopping wood, and a horrible pounding in my head. I no longer feel the pain of heavy vines constricting me, so that must mean the blights are dead! I open my eyes, and Steinbjorn helps me sit up.

"Steiny! Your spirit guardians are amazing!"

I don't think he's prepared for me throwing myself into his arms in a hug. Wow, he's got a lot of muscle!

"Thanks?"

I help the others hack at the tree, and soon it seems pretty darn dead. I pull the axe out of the dead wood, and examine it. It feels good, lighter than any axe I have ever held. The handle and the blade are covered in leaf and vine designs, and it's absolutely beautiful.

"How's it feel?" Rideyr asks me.

"Great! It's so pretty!"

"Good. You deserve it."

"I hope you're better with that than your bow!" Poppov jests. I flinch, and Cecil laughs.

We stand around looking at the remains of the bleeding tree, and the skeleton at its base.

"We're going to have to destroy the stump." Chad says. "It will grow back if not."

"Oh, I got it!" Creed pushes her sleeves back, and casts her digging spell.

Soon the stump is uprooted, and the entire ground is covered in disgusting tree blood. It's super sticky. But hey, I've got a cool axe now! Creed decides to talk to the dead guy, and asks it some questions. She doesn't get any straight answers about the axe, until she asks what special properties it has.

"Wield it against plants!" It croaks, and then doesn't speak again.

"That's easy. I hate trees now!"

Needing rest and more healing, we head back to the winery. Heading into the building it is clear that this place is beyond destroyed. The tree really did a number on it. I feel rage burning inside of me, and want nothing more than to right this wrong that has been committed against my beloved Martikovs. This wine is the lifeblood of Barovia, and I refuse to let these evil forces take my friends' livelihood and the only happiness that many Barovians have. The only place that is in tact is the basement, so we hunker down there to rest. There is still the super cold spot in the basement, and after checking the area we find there is a secret door! It opens into a dark hallway, and we can feel the coldness emerging from it. There's fuzzy brown stuff on the walls.

"I'll check it out!" Steinbjorn announces.

He proceeds forward, the light on his shield guiding the way. He goes to look at the wall, and collapses! He doesn't seem to be getting up, so I run in and grab him. His armor is so icy cold that it burns my hands momentarily, but I get him out. Looks like the mold on the walls is some kind of natural cooling system.

I wrap Steinbjorn in my cloak for extra warmth, and huddle him up close to me while I take a look at my new axe to identify it. Cecil pulls out his potions he got back at the windmill, and contemplates them.

"I wonder what Mother's Milk really is?"

"I'll give you a gold piece if you drink it!" I dare.

"Hmmm... nah, not worth a gold."

"I'll do it!" Creed volunteers.

"I'm not giving you a gold for that since you volunteered," I tell her. "But if you puke, I will."

"Done!"

Creed takes the vial from Cecil, and we watch as she downs the greenish white liquid. I gag and laugh.

"Oh... that's no good!" She looks Ill. Guess the milk was spoiled. "I think its poison!"

She doesn't vomit, so I hold onto my gold.

"What's the other potion?"

Cecil hands her the glass of red liquid.

"Says laughter. Want to try it?"

"Sure, why not! Can't taste a damn thing, anyway."

She swigs it down, and nothing happens.

"I think it's just tea."

"Disappointing." I laugh. "What's the gold one?"

"Youth," says Cecil. "Makes the drinker look younger and more attractive."

"Well, I don't need to look any younger, but maybe save that for me? I need to outshine Ireena!"

I spend an hour looking at the axe, and it seems like it will do extra damage against plants, as well as will hurt anyone wielding it that is not of good moral character. I guess I'm worthy! Nothing else special, other than being super light, but I love it nonetheless. When I'm done looking at it, Stein wakes up, shivering.

"Hey, Steiny! You found the cooling system! I dragged you out."

"Nearly did me in!" He throws my cloak back at me, and takes out his bedroll. "Thank you for getting me out."

We rest for the night, and in the morning I feel myself again. The bruises and headache from getting my a** handed to me by nature are gone, and I'm ready for another day of delivering Barovia from evil! Speaking of evil...

"Hey, does anyone want this bow? It's cursed!"

"I'll take it!" Checkasha offers.

I give it to her along with the rest of my quiver.

"It's not actually cursed," I tell her. "I just don't think archery is my thing."

Our resident cat woman seems like she would be a good archer, and I hope it serves her better than it did me.

Creed wakes up ill and feverish, and Steinbjorn checks her out while some of us go to get water.

"Girl squad, let's get water!" I head for the stairs with Mike and Chekasha.

Chad and Steinbjorn join us.

"You guys can be honorary girl squad!"

"Zola, what is wrong with you?" Chad laughs.

"I have a pretty new axe and it's a beautiful morning!"

We step outside, and it is a glorious day. However, as we walk over to the pump house, we see something that does not look good. Scarecrows are out in the grape fields, eleven of them. They were not there when we came inside last night, and they most definitely do not look natural.

"You see those too, right?" I whisper to Mike.

"Yes," she whispers back, grabbing her spear.

"Dawn Breakers, we need backup!" Chad yells back toward the basement door.

The second he yells, the scarecrows start rushing towards us. I run forward with my axe ready, and meet the scarecrows head on.

"Bring your ugly face to my axe!!!" I bellow, ready to rage.

They bring it. One comes at me, clawing, and suddenly I lose my wits. An overwhelming dread comes over me, and I start shaking uncontrollably. The ghastly straw thing has evil, horrible eyes and a grin filled with razor sharp teeth. Maybe I am part raven, because this thing is the scariest thing I've ever seen!

Two more surround me, and I feel the panic rising. My heart may explode with fear, and I'll look like even more of an idiot in front of the Dawn Breakers! Cheeks comes to my rescue, throwing daggers at the scarecrows, but they seem really beefy and keep attacking me. I start cawing furiously as I swing at them with my axe, hoping maybe my raven friends will swoop in and save me. None come.

The others are kicking scarecrow a**, and seeing Stein, Mike and Rideyr being the brave heroes that they are renews my confidence. I shake the fear away, and trust in my skill and in my axe. I swing at one, and destroy it with a mighty blow. I can hear Creed laughing maniacally over the sounds of battle, and wonder if she's laughing at me. Rude.

They keep attacking me, and the vigor of battle gets my blood pumping. These bastards will pay for scaring off my ravens! I start raging.

"BAHAMUT!!!!"

They converge on me with claws, but miss- I take the opening, causing a hell of a lot of damage on one of the scarecrows. The gods have smile upon me this day! I kill the two scarecrows on me, and move to help Rideyr who still has two. He slays one with the Sunsword, and I get the finishing blow on the other. At last all our scarecrow enemies have been vanquished.

I hold my new axe into the air, cheering, and then throw my arms around Rideyr, narrowly avoiding being bit by the Sunsword.

"Careful!" He laughs.

Creed seems to have stopped laughing, and Steinbjorn does some healing on her and Chekasha, who also seems to have contracted the laughing sickness. I go fill my water skin, and after all the crap we had to go through just to get a drink it tastes better than ever.

"Can we go to Burlesque now?"

"What?" Stein laughs.

"Boaresque? The other town! I don't know what it's called, I'm not a map!"

"Well good thing I am!" Chad says. "You mean Berez?"

"That's what I said!"

"Well, as it turns out," Chad points to some tracks on the ground, where it looks like the scarecrows walked into the field. "the tracks those came from lead in the direction of Berez!"

Before we head out, I go check on Creed. She seems a bit better, but I still feel guilty for being the catalyst in potion consuming dares. Technically I dared Cecil, not her, but she was game to play along anyway.

"I'm sorry you got poisoned and sick." I tell her. "Technically you didn't meet the terms of the bet, however I believe reward is due for your willingness to drink that junk."

I hand her three gold coins.

"You're crazy, Creed. Don't ever change."

~ Zola Stormwyk

[bxtreme]

Journal Entry 13

After procuring some new powerful weapons, we went to what remained of the winery for a rest. Poppov had some interesting things to tell me. I'm glad no one else can hear him, sometimes he says things that shouldn't be said in good company, especially around women. Oh Poppov, you dog! Have you ever wondered why the sky is so grey in Barovia? Why children are born without souls here? Why Strahd doesn't just end it all? I ask Poppov...he remains quiet...he gives me wine.

Journal Entry 14

I remember why I stopped playing doctor as a child. Experiments never go according to plan. With the help of Zola, we convinced Creed to try a couple of vials from the night hag's windmill. Creed was sick after that, more sick than usual. Poppov gave me the idea, but I just needed to find the right time to find a Guinea pig test subject. Maybe I should be sorry Creed. But I'm not. I remember when mother told me to stop playing doctor. My parents were nice...I think.

The others are sleeping now. I stay up to work on Poppov. I never sleep. When did I stop? I couldn't if I tried to now, Poppov is too loud. Was it Creed or Cheeks that found some human teeth? Did they keep them? I think they would look good on Poppov. He says I should play dentist. He jokes and says fresh teeth would be better. I laugh, but I faked it. I'm good at emulating emotion.

Journal Entry 15

Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov Poppov

<The bottom half of the page has been ripped out of the journal>

[dragonforgotten]

Another day another dead tree! We murder that tree right there really good. There’s another tree to murder Right down this hill with a fat axe in it. I feel like a lumber jack. Before that mikes seems to have taken to grave robbing. Apparently she wants to steal unanimated skeleton warriors magic spear. That’s not nice if I might add my two coppers. I’m sure she means no off sense but I’ll ask on her behalf. I begin to help remove the stones around his body till I can see him.
Grandpa gave me some new spells to play with and I really want to know about The Who this man once was. Sadly time has taken his voice, he lacks a jaw bone for him to speak to me. Mike takes the spear and he doesn’t seem upset.
He seems pretty cosy in the ground, maybe it’s what he’d wanted. Maybe that the voice mike heard. I’m sure he’d want it to be put to good use rather to rust away with him.
With the spear all sorted I place the rocks back over him telling him to sleep well. We begin to plan. That bloody tree is surrounded by needle blights and Zola really really wants that axe. We huddle together and bicker and squabble a little till we come up with a plan. Zola will shoot at them and make them rush up the hill to get us as I go pew pew and the melee type go Arrrr! Zola prepares her bow only to shoot, Miss horrible and then trip and smashes her head on a rock. Plan B time. Just run on into the tree before they can do anything, then send an invisible Chee to pull the axe out. I like my skin not punctured by needles. We all hide behind a nearby tree watching the axe as the needle men march back and forth. Suddenly they all stop and turn their wooden eyes onto the axe, then all of them fling their needles at an unseen spot as we cringe. I lean over to Chad.
"So..... Im sure she's fine." The twig men turn their beady eyes on us and its time to chance. I blast them to high heaven, ducking in and out behind trees. As their numbers fall the swarm of twig blights swarm. Fine! Ive got enough blasting for you all to! Zola starts attacking the tree and it really pisses them off as they rush her, also running through Steins and chads magic blender of ghost skeletons and daggers. Everyone becomes focused on either the tree or the blights but not me. The kids fighting off nasty things by herself, deadly thing. Im going to do what I do best. I blast a hole in one needle blights. She rushes the bloody tree when suddenly she's caught by the fatter Vine blights and they grab her, beginning to squeeze the life out of her. I hear bones break and her scream till suddenly she does limp! Is she dead? I fear she is till suddenly she jolts to life again screaming at all of us to take down the tree. Hmmm, thats not normal. Is she like me? It doesnt last long because shes out again and i wince. thats going to scar. Awwww! her first baby scar!
I gather the energy in both my hands.
"Eat this!!" I send on blast into the blights head, decapitating it and freeing Zola. Ryder kills the second and i blow a massive hole into the last on as it tapples over. I point laughing manically.
"Thats right! Fear me you bits of splinters! Fear me-! cough! Cough! ECk, i swollowed a bug!" I wheeze wiping the blood from the corner of my mouth. Thats what i get for getting too excited.
With the blood trees protectors dead we proceeds to fell this thick tree, freeing the axe. Cecil gives the tree a look and it clicks with him. the tree is the source. Its were the creepy staff came from. If the tree is not uprooted it will regenerate.
"great! wha are we going to get rid of it!" Ryder complained as I approach the stump and crack my knuckles and all the bones in my body. As they are scratching their heads I turn back to them.
"Finished!" they look back confused and see what i did. I had successfully uprooted said stump. With everyones help we pull the stump away and chop it to pieces but as I shuffled through the dirt I found something. Well, someone. He's a very old skeleton. I gather his bones together and lay them out before me. He has a jaw bone. Time to learn who you where. I cast the spell and begin to speak with him as the party starts to group around me curiose with the clerics grimacing. 
"Hello friend, what is your name?"
"Hobs."
"Hi Hobs. I was wonder are you the weilder of the axe?"
"No..." what? wait? oh, techniquley zola is now. Oops.
"what is the nature of your axe?"
"use it on plants..." ok right! Oh i don't know what to ask him. There just so many things i want to know but not enough time and the stares and murmuring causes me to lose my track of thought. I end up flubbing my last few questions in my excitement to speak to him. Awww. I wanted to know how he got stuck under the tree. Oh well. With the magic pine cone and two magic weapons we return to the f***ed winry and go back to the cool room. We stumbled upon a secret door but after learning mold is bad we besides to perpare to camp in the celler. Im unrolling my bedroll when my ears pick up on cecils and Zolas conversation. 
"I wonder what Mother's Milk really is?"
"I'll give you a gold piece if you drink it!" 
"Hmmm... nah, not worth a gold." Did someone mention gold!
"I'll do it! for two" I volunteers.
"I'm not giving you a gold for that since you volunteered," Zola tell me. "But if you puke, I will." I snort, disgruntle.
"Make it three from you and two from him and I'm in." a little bit of sour milk is nothing. Kids died most likely to make these concotions, it would be disrespectful to not get to the bottom of these mystery gunk. I don't see anyone else raising hands. I would have thought a paladin would be up for the taste but apparently he's not. Looks like I'm the only one with the guts. Im use to trying werid a** s*** and I've been wanting to test this body of mine for awhile. Ive felt it creeping each day, growing in power just as Ive grown in spells.
"Done!" I takes the vial from Cecil. I slosh the liquid with everyone watching me. Only live once, maybe. Granpa said it would take time. Time to see how far grandpas experiment has progressed. I down it like a shot of ale before the taste can really hit me. Everyone eyes widen in disbelief and disgust. Some look sick themselves. Its foul and my face scrunch up. the taste is barely there for me but it would make anyone normal person vomit. Unfortunately I'm not a normal person and I don't vomit. S***! It hits me like a kick to the stomach as my stomach twists.
"Oh... that's no good! I think it's poison!"
"What's the other potion?" Cecil hands me the two gold and the glass of red liquid. A sane person would quiet when their ahead but I am not quiet sane now am I. My stomach already is a mess. 
"Says laughter. Want to try it?"
Hmmm. I should really stop? hmmmmmmmmm. F**** it.
"Sure, why not! Can't taste a damn thing, anyway."
I swigs it down, and nothing happens and its not horrible. it actually eases my stomach for a bit. I cant really taste this one, the flavor is so subtle.
"I think it's just tea."
"Disappointing." Zola laughs.
"Now about my other three gold."
"What other three gold? You already did the first one. Should have said something before drinking the second. You also did'nt vomit so no gold for you."
"What! S***!" what the hells mate! I feel cheated. All that for nothing.
"What's the gold one?"
"Youth," says Cecil. "Makes the drinker look younger and more attractive."
"Well, I don't need to look any younger, but maybe save that for me? I need to outshine Ireena!" Seems Im no longer needed. I slink off back to my bedroll. My stomach still rolling about in pain as I wrap my arms around it. Stein puts a blanket on me as Cecil sits by myside with Popoov taking notes. I'll be fine. I just need to sleep it off and It will pass if what grandpa told me about my body is true. I close my eye, trying to get some sleep.
-------

My eye snaps open as I gasp struggling to breath and pant. I twist and writhing in pain till suddenly my face is pressed to the cold flog. Where am I! Whats going on!? Theres shuffling next to me and theres a flurry of movement as blurry blobs move about. Im soaked wet and i cant stop shaking. My skin is so cold yet my guts are on fire!! It burns! I try getting up and the entire room twists and distorts. I don't know where i'm going? Or where i am but not here. Anywhere to escape the pain!! Suddenly I'm falling but I'm caught by someone. Noise and lights start coming to life and snap my eyes close moaning. the light perices my brain and the noise stabs my throbbing ears.
"cre-...! Are-..."
"It burns.. Too.. loud." Im laid down back onto something soft as my eye lid dances open. Shapes and blobs move around me. Some grey blob strips me of my trench coat just as a choking cough bubbles up and I'm immediately vomit and cough bile and blood. Im set against a wall as I try to understand whats going on around me. Who's doing this to me. Someone with small hands slaps my cheek and things start swimming into focus every so slightly. Who are these people..?
"Is it just me, or does she look... Slightly different?"
"No time to wonder about it. Her fever is really high." My eyes flutter close as the grey blob reaches out to me...
"Curse, this body...So weak" I mumble before the darkness comes.

I swim back to a feverish awareness as grey blob dabbs my forehead and the takes my wrist feeling for a pulse. Im wrapped up in a blanket? No, cloak. I know this person? This situation is familiar. 
"Am.. I still alive? grandpa?... Did it fail?" I don't get an answer. The short blob darts into my vision before i close my eyes again.

Im awakened as I feel the blobbs run away from me. sTein.. Cecil? I hear the shouting above. The.. rest. There in trouble. Grabbing the cloak, i wrap it around my shivering body and drag my frail body into the door way and i can see it. Scarecrows, are attack. Ah.... I've... got this. I raise my hand and the blast starts chargin till suddenly I'm vomit blood and the world starts twists into colors. I! Im falling to pieces! Whats wrong with me?!? Everything starts to cave in and i start to panic. My hands find my head as suddenly laughing escapes painfully from my lungs. the laughter is crazed and manic. I throw my head back as it shreiks and hurts. I cant stop laughing. My hands claw down my face till my arms hug my stomach and I'm huntched over. Please help! Someone. I spy chee chuckle but stop her self quickly confused. Every eyes snap to my wide as they realized something. Suddenly something clicks inside me. The laughing stops and I collapse to the ground even more tired then i was before. Stein rushes to my side and i weak try to push him away suddenly angry. Im not weak!
"Im not sick! Leave me alone." he doesn't listen to me. He forces me to lie down and he discovers something. This is cackling fever. ive been infected and ive also contaminated chee. Stein, Chad and ryder help my back to my bed roll, water in tow. Stein begins to cast something as i refuse to look at him and suddenly all the pain, the shivering and the fever stop but that isnt all. My rattling breath eases. For once in almost half a year I can fill my lungs again and they don't feel heavy. I sit up hand on my throat. I look at Stein conflicted as he has turned to Chee with what he's just done. I don't think he's realized what he's just done. I lay back down conflicted, thinking about what the hags plans for cackle fever were and the sensation of no longer to fight for air.
----------

It's time to move out. Im too weak and tired to be of help but i hobble along. Thats trip was a doozy, no repeats please. Zola comes up to me looking guilty.
"Whats with the long face?"
"I'm sorry you got poisoned and sick." She tell me and my tail lifts up off the ground as on ear flicks. Im listening.
"Technically you didn't meet the terms of the bet, however I believe reward is due for your willingness to drink that junk." 
She hands me three gold coins as my claw curls around them.
"You're crazy, Creed. Don't ever change."
Aww. that warms the cackles of my heart. heh, cackles.

-Creed

[Stephen]

We rest after destroying the very large and angry tree that we think trampled the Wizard of Wines vineyard. Mike gets up close and personal with a spear she found in a grave. Zola is chatting away as usual. The others appear to be resting. Cecil is talking to Popov. All appears normal.

In a corpse of dead and dying trees we see blights slowly circling a very large tree with a battle axe embedded in it about 200 yards away. Zola really wants the axe. I don’t blame her, most of us melee types have special weapons of our own now. It is about time Zola gets something too. After too much talking and time wasting, we make it down to the edge of the corpse of trees. Instead of focusing our attention on one blight at a time Chad turns Chekasha invisible. Don't know what exactly happened but all of a sudden, the man-sized blights turned toward the tree and launched their needles. I guess Chekasha got caught, she was severely wounded but we eventually healed her. The needle blights saw right through Chad’s invisibility spell. Now we know.


We spring into action and attack! A spear is thrown, magic is cast the sun sword ignites! Suddenly many little twig blights begin to raise from the ground and begin attacking Mike. I summon Freya’s spirit guardians, but like before they appear around me as skeletal warriors clad in decaying chain armor wielding swords and bearing shields instead of spectral versions of my people. The power is pure and full of life, I feel it tugging on my mind as I concentrate on the spell. I wade into combat closing the distance to Mike and the twig blights. My guardians destroy serval twig blights. Freya is with is me!

The larger blights circle around and throw needles at us from a different angle. The others get hit. More needle blights are destroyed, even more twig blights fall to the guardians. They swarm me and attack! Assuming a defensive posture they crash over me. No matter how many times they attack they do not break my concentration.


I find myself almost alone as the battle has shifted back to the huge tree. I look up and see Zola and Ryder being squeezed by a different vine type blight. The others finish off the needle blights, ghostly Popovs are attacking the tree instead of the vines whipping Ryder and Zola. I sigh. The other twig blights explode under the assault of the guardians. The vine blights are killed and eventually we destroy the tree, freeing the ax. Zola is one happy girl.

Creed can speak with dead and attempts to speak to a skeleton we found under the tree. She garners some info about Zola’s new ax. We rebury the skeleton and destroy the tree once and for all. We decide to head back to the Wizard of Wines to rest. After we arrive, we find the place is in worse shape than we thought. Most of the buildings are smashed to bits. We do make our way into the basement and secure the door above us.

In the basement they find a secret door near a “cold” spot. I bravely enter and notice right away how cold it is. I take a long look at the brown moss growing on the wall. A blast of freezing cold numbs me. The last thing I remember is falling down into a frozen hug of brown moss.

A while later I wake up covered in cloaks. Zola pulled me out of the tunnel and covered me up. Very kind of her to brave that weird moss to rescue me. She is happy that I am awake and shyly smiles. I hear the others goading Creed into drinking the potions Cecil found. I sit up and Zola joins them. Mothers milk and Laughter slide down Creeds gullet. Nothing crazy happens. At first.


The next morning, I wake up and prey to Freya. I feel her power fill me once more. Drawing power from the land I spring forth into my hands what we have named Barvoian Boo Berrys. The girl squad...minus Creed goes out to refill water skins from the well outside. I take a closer look at Creed. She doesn’t look so good. She is feverish and clearly sick. I tell her not to worry but before I can even really begin to figure out what's wrong, we hear shouts for help from outside. We rush out to find the rest of the Dawn Breakers fighting.... scare crows?

I have seen a lot of strange things in the short time I have been in Barovia. But this takes the cake. Scare Crows are creepy anyway but these animated creatures are truly scary. Their limbs are longer than a mans and end in wicked claws. Decorated sacks stuffed with straw are slashing the party up pretty good. We fight hard and well. It appears that these things really don’t like fire and we put our fire-based magic to good use. Once again, we are victorious. Boo Berrys are handed out and some healing magic is used to restore life.


During the fight Creed started coughing and laughing. A lot. Like more than normal. Well normal for her anyway. I examine Creed again and suddenly it hits me! She has Cackling Fever! Very infectious if not treated right away. All I could think of is Creed flailing sickly around town infecting innocent people. As if they need to suffer any more than they already do. It takes some serious praying and power from me to burn the sickness out of Creed and Chekasha, who was unfortunately to close to Creed during her out break. But they are free of the Cackling Fervor. Creed is still talking and acting like she is still sick. Carrying on about it. She wasn’t even sick for all that long. The life of an adventurer is not easy. Sleeping in a secure basement is more than most have out on the road in a strange land. She should be thankful I was able to heal her as quickly as I did.


Chad finds tracks made by the demonic animated scare crows and they lead toward Berez, ironically enough we are headed that way to recover another magical acorn.

[Chris]

post-scarecrow battle of the now-destroyed Wizard of Wins winery
To Berez?
Crow sign
Van Richten's Tower
Missing friends
werewolf Den
Ring of Stone
Cave Mouth
Tower Door
Rickety Scaffolding
Third Floor-Second-Floor-First Floor
Tower, Fourth Floor
Pack Attack

Time at end of session: Day 10, 12:20:8pm, Year 735?

MVP Steve Penna as Steinbjorn Rexxor Grimarsson


our plays on RPG Geek rpggeek.com/plays/thing/192136?userid=1168080

[Jeff]

With the last werewolf, at least in this part of the lair, vanquished, I am thankful that our group came together and fought so well. This was a pitched battle that was touch and go right until the end, but everyone stood their ground and fought courageously against a band of werewolves and wolves. Thank the Morninglord for Chad’s courage, as he risked his own life numerous times to get to and save our comrades who had gone down in the battle. Being outnumbered it seemed prudent to retreat at one point, but Mike and Chekasa were pinned in the far end of the cave, and there was no way we were leaving anyone behind, so the decision was made to stay and fight to the end. I am in awe of everyone’s courage to stay the course and see this through.

I am concerned for Cecil who at one point yelled that he was the packmaster—an odd thing to say, but then again he has conversations with Popov, so everything might be okay. I’ll talk to him when I get the chance as he may have been bitten by a werewolf which wouldn’t be good. Other than that everyone seems to be a bit battered but still on their feet and ready to go. We are very much in need of rest, but we don’t know what lies ahead of us as there are two entrances to what may be a larger part of the cave and we don’t know what may be back there. It would seem logical that any other werewolves would have heard the sounds of battle and come out to help, but we can’t be sure. We’ll need to investigate what’s inside.

One of the dying werewolves spoke of another werewolf who would soon be back and would skin me alive, so it seems like there may be more of them out possibly doing something for Strahd. We’ll have to be vigilant and maybe shouldn’t stay here long in our weakened condition.

I fear that Strahd may have captured Ireena, Ismark and the children as they were nowhere to be found at the tower. I hope they are okay and escaped whatever creatures ripped up their tents—maybe it was the werewolves that were not in the den? If so, I fear for our friends.

I still have a nagging feeling like we have more business in Villaki and feel we should return—something more than just the wedding dress. I don’t know what it is, but my gut tells me there’s something important there in regards to our quest. If only we could get a message to our friends at the Blue Water Inn, I’m sure we could sneak into the village and see what’s going on there. We’ll have to discuss this and see if it seems feasible.

There are still so many questions: what’s Van Richten’s plan in all of this? Why wouldn’t he let anyone in his tower, and where is he? What’s the deal with the creepy Abbot? I don’t like or trust him, and I think there are some dark secrets there. I lose my train of thought as Cecil walks over to talk with me; now I’ll be able to see if he’s okay. That’s it for now—more later.

Peace,

Rideyr