Escape from Durst Manor#

The party runs for their lives. First they open the portcullis to the room where they killed the monstrosity thanks to the help of the magic of the artificer Thaddeus.

They also encounter spiders attacking them with webs which Ilizeiros luckily manages to burn.

Then they go upstairs where they see a group of ghosts reenacting the birth of Walther. The door to the balcony from this room is blocked by scythes.

The scythes swing back and forth in the rythm of the contraptions of what the party identifies as ghost Lady Durst.

By reanimating the corpse of real baby Walther the party distracts the ghosts and the scythes swing back and forth much slower.

The party manages to escape to the balcony, which appears to be above a cliff 1000 feet tall. Luckily Reese can cast the magical spell feather fall which allows the party to jump down.

They land and see the doors to the estate closing. The run and manage to escape the compound in the last moment. Behind them the manor is swallowed by the earth.

Entering Barovia#

The party is passed by a hearse, that leaves behind food.

The party eats it despite slight reservations and while eating they see a village in the distance through the fog.

They walk for half an hour before reaching the village. While walking they notice that the stuff they took from the mansion is aging fast but remains usable. They enter the village and its a depressing sight. Half the houses seem to be empty and many windows are boarded up.

They arrive at the center of the village where there is a shop and a tavern.

The tavern is called the “Blood on the Vine”. There they meet the barkeeper Arik and order some food and wine. They are joined by Ismark Kolyanovich “the Lesser” who is mocked by the three owners of the tavern Alenka, Mirabell and Sorvia.

Ismark Kolyanovich explains some things to the party: They are in the village of Barovia in the land of Barovia. He confirms the location of the land as on the sword coast and the year as the current year. Ismark Kolyanovich is the new Burgomeister of the village. His father Kolyan - the old Burgomeister - has died a few days ago.

He needs help burying him.

Another problem is that the mysterious lord of the land (Lord Strahd) has taken an interest in the adopted stepsister of Ismark Kolyanovich - Ireena Kolyana.

Apparently he talked to her multiple nights and the manor of the Burgomeister was attacked in these nights by unknown creatures.

Ismark Kolyanovich invites the party to his manor but the party prefers to sleep in the inn and promises him to visit Ismark Kolyanovich the following morning.

Before going to bed, the party goes to the shop and discovers that all the goods are ourageously expsensive.

Only Thaddeus buys a wetstone and starts working on a set of wooden alchemist tools.

The Burgomeisters task#

The next morning the group travels to the Burgomeisters mansion. It clearly has been attacked by wolf-like creatures. There are claw-marks on the outside of the building.

Ismark Kolyanovich and his very beautiful red haired sister Ireena Kolyana are there together with the body of their father. Ismark Kolyanovich wants to get Ireena Kolyana to safety. He suggests the neighbouring town of Vallaki. She however doesn’t want to leave without having buried her father.

The party and the two carry the coffin to the church north of the village.

While climbing the small hill part of the fog lifts and they see a mighty castle further north of the village on a cliff above a forest.

Ismark Kolyanovich explains to them that this is the castle Ravenloft.

There are many freshly dug graves despite there not having been burial ceremonies for a while

They meet the priest of the church - Father Donavich - and he explains to them that some people have been buried without ceremony.

When they start burying Kolina, a black carriage arrives pulled by skeletal horses.

A tall creature with pointy ears exits the carriages and walks towards the party.