Post by gavmeister on Jan 14, 2018 12:09:07 GMT
Turned back at the gates of Krezk, the party retrace their steps east to the Raven River crossroads. No sign remains of their battle against the werewolves. They take a sharp turn south-west to follow the road to the Wizard of Wines winery.
After a couple of miles they notice a wolf following them just out of bowshot. Giselle ducks behind some boulders to set up an ambush. But the adventurers are not the only ones with ambush in mind: six dire wolves emerge from the mist; and the lone wolf behind them turns out to be Strahd, who reverts to his vampire form and demands that they reveal von Richten’s hiding place. Ricken calls for divine intervention and Blesses his companions.
Strahd moves in a blur of speed, and bends Panks to his will before sinking his fangs into the fighter’s neck. Bran slashes at the vampire with a Divine Smite but a glowing pink mist surrounding the vampire absorbs the blow. Theo considers saving his friend by offering up von Richten’s real hiding place, but thinks better of it and instead cunningly deceives Strahd into believing that the monster hunter is still lying low in Vallaki.
One of the dire wolves swallows Theo’s familiar in a single gulp. However, another wolf regrets biting the warlock himself when it is torched by his Hellish Rebuke. Three others fall to Giselle’s arrows, Bran’s sword, Ricken’s Radiance of the Dawn and a volley of Eldritch Blasts from Theo.
After draining Pankas to the brink of death, Strahd, decides he doesn’t like the fighter’s ‘wolfish’ taint. The vampire turns his back on the adventurers and disappears into the mist. Dispirited by this abandonment, the two surviving dire wolves flee into the wood. Ricken leads a Prayer of Healing; one from which Pankas gains little benefit.
The day draws on and a thunderstorm sets in. Lightning illuminates a ruined hovel with seven scarecrows guarding a weed infested clearing. Ricken isn’t fooled; as he begins to invoke the Morninglord’s wrath the scarecrows animate, their twig fingers turning into rusty knife blades. One of the scarecrows appears unnaturally bloated. To make matters worse, three Barovian witches emerge from the wood, curse the party “in the name of Baba Lysaga”, before firing off a volley of Rays of Sickness.
A desperate battle begins in which Theo is first slashed and terrified by a scarecrow, and then poisoned by a witch. The battle is so fraught with danger that the others are unable to find time to come to his aid. Ricken makes a judgement call and focuses on setting the scarecrows alight with his Burning Hands. Finally Bran is able to catch his breath and heal Theo. As soon as the last scarecrow is brought down the witches disappear. Another Prayer of Healing provides a welcome restorative, even to the normally cynical Theo. Pankas remains too weak to fully benefit from the cleric’s balm. Examining the bloated scarecrow, they find it stuffed with dead ravens.
Close to the end of their tether, the party are (at first) amused by the sight of two tatter-demalion druids rolling in the dirt of the road. They are dismayed, however, when the forest floor turns into a carpet of Twig Blights, and two Berserkers charge out of the forest. Theo Flies up out of reach just in time, as the druids Entangle most of the party. Ricken torches most of the Blights with Radiance of the Dawn; the Berserkers’ blind fury leaves them wide open to counter-attack; and Theo’s Eldritch Blasts ruin the Druids’ spellcasting. The battle is quickly over.
After a couple of miles they notice a wolf following them just out of bowshot. Giselle ducks behind some boulders to set up an ambush. But the adventurers are not the only ones with ambush in mind: six dire wolves emerge from the mist; and the lone wolf behind them turns out to be Strahd, who reverts to his vampire form and demands that they reveal von Richten’s hiding place. Ricken calls for divine intervention and Blesses his companions.
Strahd moves in a blur of speed, and bends Panks to his will before sinking his fangs into the fighter’s neck. Bran slashes at the vampire with a Divine Smite but a glowing pink mist surrounding the vampire absorbs the blow. Theo considers saving his friend by offering up von Richten’s real hiding place, but thinks better of it and instead cunningly deceives Strahd into believing that the monster hunter is still lying low in Vallaki.
One of the dire wolves swallows Theo’s familiar in a single gulp. However, another wolf regrets biting the warlock himself when it is torched by his Hellish Rebuke. Three others fall to Giselle’s arrows, Bran’s sword, Ricken’s Radiance of the Dawn and a volley of Eldritch Blasts from Theo.
After draining Pankas to the brink of death, Strahd, decides he doesn’t like the fighter’s ‘wolfish’ taint. The vampire turns his back on the adventurers and disappears into the mist. Dispirited by this abandonment, the two surviving dire wolves flee into the wood. Ricken leads a Prayer of Healing; one from which Pankas gains little benefit.
The day draws on and a thunderstorm sets in. Lightning illuminates a ruined hovel with seven scarecrows guarding a weed infested clearing. Ricken isn’t fooled; as he begins to invoke the Morninglord’s wrath the scarecrows animate, their twig fingers turning into rusty knife blades. One of the scarecrows appears unnaturally bloated. To make matters worse, three Barovian witches emerge from the wood, curse the party “in the name of Baba Lysaga”, before firing off a volley of Rays of Sickness.
A desperate battle begins in which Theo is first slashed and terrified by a scarecrow, and then poisoned by a witch. The battle is so fraught with danger that the others are unable to find time to come to his aid. Ricken makes a judgement call and focuses on setting the scarecrows alight with his Burning Hands. Finally Bran is able to catch his breath and heal Theo. As soon as the last scarecrow is brought down the witches disappear. Another Prayer of Healing provides a welcome restorative, even to the normally cynical Theo. Pankas remains too weak to fully benefit from the cleric’s balm. Examining the bloated scarecrow, they find it stuffed with dead ravens.
Close to the end of their tether, the party are (at first) amused by the sight of two tatter-demalion druids rolling in the dirt of the road. They are dismayed, however, when the forest floor turns into a carpet of Twig Blights, and two Berserkers charge out of the forest. Theo Flies up out of reach just in time, as the druids Entangle most of the party. Ricken torches most of the Blights with Radiance of the Dawn; the Berserkers’ blind fury leaves them wide open to counter-attack; and Theo’s Eldritch Blasts ruin the Druids’ spellcasting. The battle is quickly over.