Death#

The adventurers face the grim aftermath following the battle ontop Yester Hill. The lightning has stopped, and Benjamin lies face down in the mud, dead. Although the party has defeated the attackers, they are drenched in mud and blood — the blood of their enemies, but also their own.

The Aftermath of Thunderhill#

The “Ent” is making its way towards the winery. Stephania went ahead to warn the winery, desperate to save her family. Reese and Ilizeiros kill off the remaining barbarians who are still fighting amongst themselves. Reese then charges towards the grove from where the druids came, seeking Claudiu, with Ilizeiros stealthily in tow. They find the naked body of Claudiu at the foot of the tree, pierced by spikes and roots. Reese hurls firebolts at the tree in a desperate attempt to destroy it. As the bolts hit the tree twiglings begin to emerge from the underbrush and wander around the grove. The party decides to disengage and go back to the stone circle on the mountaintop. There, they see from afar the mysterious rider on the flaming horse they already encountered during their ascent. They decide to give this figure a wide birth and head down the hill after the “Ent”.

They see that the “Ent” has carved a path through the forest towards the winery. Reese and Ilizeiros follow, to find the winery almost fully destroyed by the “Ent”, and Stephania’s family is already heading to Vallaki on their wagon, having salvaged some wine. They tell the party that the patriarch of the Martikov Family, Davian Martikov, did not want to leave the winery and stayed behind. With a last glance back at the winery the party sees the building in ruins and the “Ent’s” echoing sounds in the distance suggest it has started pursuing the wagon. Midnight is fast approaching as the party and the Martikovs make their way towards Vallaki.

The Wanderer#

Meanwhile, a hooded figure travels through the forest and approaches Vallaki. He finds a camp of refugees outside the city gate. Upon entering the camp, he learns that he village of Barovia has been overrun by animated corpses, and Ismark Kolyanovich has fallen during the evacuation of the village. The hooded figure holds a ceremony and tries to lift the spirit of the people. Afterwards, he tries to talk to the city guards who refuse to let him or the refugees in, due to the village being on lockdown after the festival. The hooded figure decides to sneak into the city. After some failed attempts, he finally makes it in and begins searching for a tavern.

The hooded figure finds the Blue Water Inn and books a room. He notices the innkeeper being warned by a younger man about something. They make their way out of the tavern through a hidden door. Stealthily the hooded figure follows them. Despite his best efforts, they notice him. He introduces himself as Yaroslav Korolev, a former aspiring priest of the village Barovia. Together they warn the city about the incoming danger and head to the south-western gate.

The siege of Vallaki#

A few hours earlier, Ilizeiros and Reese and the Martikovs had reached the gate of the city and are told that the city is on lockdown and wont let anyone in during the night. They set up camp some distance from the gate and organize watches. Ilizeiros takes the first watch and is the first to see the “ent” coming out of the nearby forest and heading towards the city. He wakes up the others and they decides to send Elvir Martikov, Davian’s youngest son, and the children inside the city to warn the blue water inn about the imminent attack. They watch the “Ent” move towards the city and then attack it from behind. The party outside the gate, the city guards, and Yaroslav all unite to attack the “Ent,” which tries to breach the city gate but fails. With a combined effort, the Ent is brought down with minimal casualties, one of the city guard has the life squeezed out of him by the “ent’s” roots.

The city saved#

Reese, Ilizeiros, and Yaroslav return to the tavern, all in need of a good nights sleep, while Thaddeus helps the city guard repair the damaged wooden pallisade. The next morning, Reese trades the Gem of Growth for a journal written by the devil, Strahd of Zarovich, that seems to contain a lot of information, most of it unreadable without further effort. The party learns the following from the chapters that are readable: A stake through the heart will keep him from moving but does not kill him, however, a magical sword exists that he fears as much as the sun. While discussing what had happened on the hill with the Martikov family in the common room of the tavern, Ilizeiros mentions the horse with the burning mane and they learn from Adrian that this is Beaucephalos, Strahd of Zarovich’s horse. Rictavio, who overheared this conversation, chimes in and tells the story of how such a horse, a “nightmare”, is created: One need only capture a Pegasus and torture it over a long period of time to twist its mind. The ritual is completed by cutting off the pegasus’s wings.