Post by gavmeister on Jan 2, 2019 16:11:45 GMT
Theo takes a break from adventuring and Ezmerelda steps up to the plate.
The party follow the trail on the west bank of the Luna River until it disappears into a marsh. They find the ghost of a little boy drowned in Berez a century ago. Ricken promises to take him home, and in return he leads them through the swamp to the ruined village. his ghost is laid to rest.
Ruined cottages sink into the mire; swarms of back flies dart about, hungry for blood. They spy a light amongst some ancient standing stones on the east bank. Bran spurs Binky through the marsh and he meets up with Muriel Vinshaw. Muriel warns him again about the threat of Baba Lysaga and urges him to be careful. She transforms into a wereraven and gives Bran a peck on the cheek.
Bran and Binky wade back over the river, and the party make their way through the dense fog along a track by the abandoned cottages. They pass a gateless pen holding nine mountain goats. The fifty fence posts are surmounted with human skulls.
They enter a ruined mansion. Giselle and Ezmerelda explore and are confronted by the ghost of Lazlo Ulrich, the last Burgomaster. He reveals that he strangled his daughter Marina to prevent Strahd from carrying her away; Strahd slaughtered him in revenge. The adventurers realise that Marina was another incarnation of the long-lost Tatyana, but Lazlo is unconvinced. He recognises their good intentions however, and points them in the direction of Marina’s statue.
On the way they pass through the ruins of a classical garden, which unfortunately is infested with poisonous snakes. Pankas is bitten.
Before the party can get much further, seven of Baba Lysaga’s scarecrows attack. Ezmerelda turns invisible and stabs away at the scarecrows while Giselle fires off arrows. Ricken incinerates one with a Scorching Ray and catches two others with Burning Hands. The rest fall under a rain of sword and axe blows.
They press on through the fog and find Marina’s kneeling statue surrounded by a disintegrating iron fence. Marina is portrayed kneeling, clutching a rose, and bears a striking resemblance to Ireena Kolyana. Giselle is convinced the statue can be moved, and Pankas, Bran and Ricken heave away. They slide the statue to one side and find a cavity holding a leather bag. Inside the bag Bran finds the platinum hilt of Sergei von Zarovich’s mighty sword, which he stashes for safe keeping. Animated corpses rise out of the mire and begin to follow the adventurers. One gets in Pankas’ way; he shoves the corpse to one side with his shield but its head explodes in a swarm of tiny poison snakes. Their little fangs fail to penetrate Pankas’ heavy boots.
They head back through a sunken cemetery and find themselves in a clear area of marsh. At the centre of the clearing is a ramshackle hut built on the stump of what was once an enormous tree. By the open doorway hang two iron cages full of trapped ravens.
Suddenly Baba Lysaga flies out in a hollowed out giant’s skull from the other side of the hut. She incapacitates Ezmerelda with Power Word Stun. Ricken Fireballs her but she retaliates by giving him a Finger of Death. Swarms of biting insects attack Ezmerelda and Giselle. Bran races over to the hut to free the ravens but before he gets there the hut itself lurches up on its mighty roots with a groan and begins lashing out at the adventurers. Bran Misty Steps to the hut entrance and breaks open one cage with his bare hands. The ravens fly out and begin attacking the insect swarm surrounding Giselle.
Bran dives inside the witch’s hut to avoid falling. The wooden furniture is nailed down, with the exception of a crib holding an angelic looking baby boy. He notices a bloodstained iron tub. A green light emanates from underneath the floorboards. Bran begins tearing away at them and finds the second lost gem from the Wizard of Wines. Unfortunately the enchanted wood of the hut grows teeth and, try as he might, Bran cannot get a grip on the gem for long enough without being bitten.
Outside, Ricken brings down Baba Lysaga’s flying skull with Dispel Magic, and Bran wades through the marsh to attack her with his spear. The old witch Blights him and he begins to sink beneath the waves, unconscious.
Ricken brings Pankas round with a Healing Word, but is bludgeoned unconscious by a flailing root. Ezmereldacomes round, but has to repeatedly Shield herself from the hut’s root attacks. She has the presence of mind to release the second kindness of ravens with a Knock spell, and they immediately clear the biting insects away from her.
She then Lightning Bolts Baba Lysaga, and Pankas finishes her off with his spear. They dash over to Ricken, and Ezmerelda brings him round with a healing potion.
On her second attempt Giselle swings up to the hut entrance on a trailing root, using her second-story skills to clamber up and inside. She expertly grabs the gem and the hut comes to a shuddering halt at last.
Everyone climbs aboard to join Bran and Giselle. Ezmerelda is not convinced by the baby boy in the crib. They fade away – all an illusion.
Giselle expertly opens the chest without triggering any traps. Three crawling claws scuttle away, led off by Theo’s familiar. No-one is quite sure how it got there.
After Ezmerelda takes her share of gold the adventurers are left with four gems worth 500 gp each, and 1,040 gp in cash.
They find the Mad Mage’s spellbook.
• Bran takes a Flute of Haunting.
• Giselle takes ten magic arrows and a vial of Oil of Sharpness
• Ricken takes scrolls of Revivify and Mass Cure Wounds
• Theo’s Crawling Claw grabs a Stone of Good Luck for him.
That night Bran attunes to the Sunsword. The sword is sentient and seems pleased to meet him.
The party follow the trail on the west bank of the Luna River until it disappears into a marsh. They find the ghost of a little boy drowned in Berez a century ago. Ricken promises to take him home, and in return he leads them through the swamp to the ruined village. his ghost is laid to rest.
Ruined cottages sink into the mire; swarms of back flies dart about, hungry for blood. They spy a light amongst some ancient standing stones on the east bank. Bran spurs Binky through the marsh and he meets up with Muriel Vinshaw. Muriel warns him again about the threat of Baba Lysaga and urges him to be careful. She transforms into a wereraven and gives Bran a peck on the cheek.
Bran and Binky wade back over the river, and the party make their way through the dense fog along a track by the abandoned cottages. They pass a gateless pen holding nine mountain goats. The fifty fence posts are surmounted with human skulls.
They enter a ruined mansion. Giselle and Ezmerelda explore and are confronted by the ghost of Lazlo Ulrich, the last Burgomaster. He reveals that he strangled his daughter Marina to prevent Strahd from carrying her away; Strahd slaughtered him in revenge. The adventurers realise that Marina was another incarnation of the long-lost Tatyana, but Lazlo is unconvinced. He recognises their good intentions however, and points them in the direction of Marina’s statue.
On the way they pass through the ruins of a classical garden, which unfortunately is infested with poisonous snakes. Pankas is bitten.
Before the party can get much further, seven of Baba Lysaga’s scarecrows attack. Ezmerelda turns invisible and stabs away at the scarecrows while Giselle fires off arrows. Ricken incinerates one with a Scorching Ray and catches two others with Burning Hands. The rest fall under a rain of sword and axe blows.
They press on through the fog and find Marina’s kneeling statue surrounded by a disintegrating iron fence. Marina is portrayed kneeling, clutching a rose, and bears a striking resemblance to Ireena Kolyana. Giselle is convinced the statue can be moved, and Pankas, Bran and Ricken heave away. They slide the statue to one side and find a cavity holding a leather bag. Inside the bag Bran finds the platinum hilt of Sergei von Zarovich’s mighty sword, which he stashes for safe keeping. Animated corpses rise out of the mire and begin to follow the adventurers. One gets in Pankas’ way; he shoves the corpse to one side with his shield but its head explodes in a swarm of tiny poison snakes. Their little fangs fail to penetrate Pankas’ heavy boots.
They head back through a sunken cemetery and find themselves in a clear area of marsh. At the centre of the clearing is a ramshackle hut built on the stump of what was once an enormous tree. By the open doorway hang two iron cages full of trapped ravens.
Suddenly Baba Lysaga flies out in a hollowed out giant’s skull from the other side of the hut. She incapacitates Ezmerelda with Power Word Stun. Ricken Fireballs her but she retaliates by giving him a Finger of Death. Swarms of biting insects attack Ezmerelda and Giselle. Bran races over to the hut to free the ravens but before he gets there the hut itself lurches up on its mighty roots with a groan and begins lashing out at the adventurers. Bran Misty Steps to the hut entrance and breaks open one cage with his bare hands. The ravens fly out and begin attacking the insect swarm surrounding Giselle.
Bran dives inside the witch’s hut to avoid falling. The wooden furniture is nailed down, with the exception of a crib holding an angelic looking baby boy. He notices a bloodstained iron tub. A green light emanates from underneath the floorboards. Bran begins tearing away at them and finds the second lost gem from the Wizard of Wines. Unfortunately the enchanted wood of the hut grows teeth and, try as he might, Bran cannot get a grip on the gem for long enough without being bitten.
Outside, Ricken brings down Baba Lysaga’s flying skull with Dispel Magic, and Bran wades through the marsh to attack her with his spear. The old witch Blights him and he begins to sink beneath the waves, unconscious.
Ricken brings Pankas round with a Healing Word, but is bludgeoned unconscious by a flailing root. Ezmereldacomes round, but has to repeatedly Shield herself from the hut’s root attacks. She has the presence of mind to release the second kindness of ravens with a Knock spell, and they immediately clear the biting insects away from her.
She then Lightning Bolts Baba Lysaga, and Pankas finishes her off with his spear. They dash over to Ricken, and Ezmerelda brings him round with a healing potion.
On her second attempt Giselle swings up to the hut entrance on a trailing root, using her second-story skills to clamber up and inside. She expertly grabs the gem and the hut comes to a shuddering halt at last.
Everyone climbs aboard to join Bran and Giselle. Ezmerelda is not convinced by the baby boy in the crib. They fade away – all an illusion.
Giselle expertly opens the chest without triggering any traps. Three crawling claws scuttle away, led off by Theo’s familiar. No-one is quite sure how it got there.
After Ezmerelda takes her share of gold the adventurers are left with four gems worth 500 gp each, and 1,040 gp in cash.
They find the Mad Mage’s spellbook.
• Bran takes a Flute of Haunting.
• Giselle takes ten magic arrows and a vial of Oil of Sharpness
• Ricken takes scrolls of Revivify and Mass Cure Wounds
• Theo’s Crawling Claw grabs a Stone of Good Luck for him.
That night Bran attunes to the Sunsword. The sword is sentient and seems pleased to meet him.