The Dinner

The Dinner#

The food#

The party has a tense dinner in Castle Ravenloft with Lord Strahd von Zarovich.

They get served delicious food that they enjoy a lot. They are initially skeptical but the food turns out to be fantastic¹. Strahd sees their skepticism and assures them once more that they are safe as long as they are his guests this night.

Both Ilizeiros & Thaddeus get their favourite foods from their childhood. Its unclear how Strahd knows about their favourite food. There is also fresh food that the party has never seen while traveling Barovia: Apples and more. Strahd says that he has people getting stuff to him from the outside of Barovia.

Asked if these people are the Vistani he answers: Yes them and others. Who the others are is left unsaid.

For Yaroslav - who gets ignored most of the time by Strahd - its the first time he sees or tastes these kinds of food.

The guests#

Strahd considers Yaroslav one of his subjects. Ilizeiros, Thaddeus and Reese are addressed as “outsiders” however.

There are 3 more vampires sitting next to Strahd at the table:

• Anastrasya - Missing one arm. She is silent during the whole dinner and clearly doesn’t want to be here.
• A handsome man - Escher - He came from outside Barovia as well and was subsequently bitten by Strahd and turned into a vampire. Strahd mentions to the party that Escher came to the realm of Barovia with a party of friends who all ended up dead. Escher seems reluctant to talk about them.
• A young street urchin from Barovia - bitten by Strahd and turned into a vampire.

The party engages Escher in conversation and tries to verify his origin story. He claims to be from Daggerford and the party is statisfied with his answers.

The vampires all eat but seemingly more for the taste than actual sustenance.

They are served by

• The daughter of Mad Mary.
• The mongrelfolk servant Cyrrus.

An old friend#

In the middle of the dinner Strahd surprises the party with the somehow animated body of their former companion Benjamin. The adventurers are shocked, disturbed and appalled. Thaddeus is downright angry and makes no attempt to hide it. Reese tries to read Benjamins mind but can’t sense anything.

Strahd accuses the party of abandoning Benjamin which they vehemently deny and also of the murder of innocent werewolves. The party insists that is was completely legitimate self-defense and that they had to keep Ireena safe after all.

The vampire lord isn’t fully convinced and tells them that at least one werewolf death wasn’t justified. Kyril will be trying to get his revenge and/or justice. A life for a life.

Strahd repeatedly tells them that “he is the land and he is the law” and at one point lifts his hands to generate the sound of thunder².

The offer#

He offers an escape from Barovia if they deliver information about van Richten. But the offer is only valid for one of the adventurers. It seems to be a ploy to turn the adventurers against each other.

The Skull#

After the dinner the party is once more free to explore the castle. Strahd explained to them that the locked doors are for their own safety.

The party uses Benjamin to get to the skull of the dragon Argynvost. Its hidden in the cellar of the castle in a room full of bones. They start planning a heist to get it out of the castle involving Yaroslavs almost supernatural abilities and Thaddeus’ potions.

They also make Benjamin drink holy water to end his suffering. It doesn’t succeed in killing him however.