#part of our curse of strahd group

[octocat-pentacles]

Dwarven cleric Dorn. Part of a set of oracle card style illustrations.

[frenchy-and-the-sea]

Some context: after narrowly avoiding being arrested, we've been told that we are on thin fucking ice and we are having an eye kept on us by the city guard. Implication is that if we're caught with even one toe out of line, we're going to be dragged to the "Reformation Center," which appears to be as bad as it sounds. The very next day, the rogue (who was the cause of our initial arrest and the cause of the town nearly being burnt down because he got greedy about stealing stuff, and who didn't get dragged in front of the town leader to explain himself and we had to cover for him) shows up again and immediately tries to steal the golden holy symbol we found while Wyn was trying to dig up information on the removal of curses. Note: this is not a useful holy symbol. It is not a +1, it's not magical, and it's not for Wyn's god. It just happens to be gold.

Wyn tells him to knock it off and that we're trying to keep our heads down after things went to shit because of what he did. My man decides to STEAL IT ANYWAY, and uses sleight of hand to do it. BUT, OF COURSE, HE ALREADY SAID HE WANTED TO STEAL IT. SO OF COURSE WYN KNOWS WHERE IT IS. So she walks over, grabs his arm, reads him the riot act about how his greed has almost killed us TWICE at this point, and tells him that he needs to put the holy symbol back. She tells him that she's not kidding this time. She tells him that this is his last warning. He tells her that he's not gonna put it back.

So she pumps a 3rd level Inflict Wounds on him and dropped his HP to 4.

Now he has disappeared from the sight of the party, and the last that we the players heard, he was hovering outside of the tavern window, trying to get dirt on the party so that he could turn Wyn into the city guard.

So, you know. Good times.

WELP. UH. WYN ATTACKED THE ROGUE TODAY BECAUSE HE KEPT TRYING TO STEAL SHIT. SO. DUNNO HOW THAT'S GONNA SHAKE OUT. 😬

[eliotbaum]

The Martikovs enjoying a quiet evening together after a busy day at the tavern 🕯

(part of our Curse of Strahd group’s secret santa, this time I got an NPC ship to draw)

[saribrum]

Art by @saribrum

Hello my friends! I have had a few of you ask to know the whole story of my group's Curse of Strahd campaign, so I thought instead of answering everyone individually that I would do a mass post here! This will be a long read It's so long omg so please be prepared for that! Feel free to ask any questions or hit me up about it too~

Context: Our campaign contains content from the Curse of Strahd module, “Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft”, extended lore from the “I, Strahd” novels, NPC additions and extensions, and homebrew from various CoS communities and from our DM’s wonderfully twisted mind.

Beware of spoilers going forward and please do not spoil anything for us as well!

TW: blood, death, emotional turmoil, attempted self harm, obsession, genocide, and other dark themes.

If you would like to read the long version (Like 3X longer with all the details, check out this link: Click Me!)

Now lets get into it!

The SABR Party Members:

Art by @systemendeavors, @saribrum, and @wintert-ide

Solomon C. Kulle: He/Him, 35 years old, Human Rogue, Mastermind

Personality- A slow to trust, Judgmental, Knowledgeable, Observant and Patient man. Solomon is a respected teacher and well known figure in Mordent. His prideful and blunt personality sometimes makes him hard to get along with, but those who can look past it gain a loyal and well-meaning friend.

Atropa Wixx: He/Him, 20 years old, Part-Tabaxi (Catboy) Warlock, The Undead- Pact of the Tome

Personality- A Friendly, Polite, Foolish, Sensitive, Reckless, Eager, Charming, and Silly young man who only wants to find his proper place in the world. Atropa has struggled with himself for years, feeling worthless to those around him and to himself. All of that changed one day when he stumbled across a book in his family library and began to unlock who he thought he was always meant to be with the help of someone who would soon be essential to his life going forward…

Belladonna “Bell” Wixx: She/Her, 23 years old, Part-Tabaxi (Catgirl) Wizard/Cleric, School of Necromancy/Death Domain

Personality- A Bold, Calm, Clever, Opinionated, Perfectionist of a young woman who was almost equally as friendly as she was judgmental. Bell has worked hard for everything she has ever gained in life and because of this, she can come off as hard and guarded. Really, Bell is a hardworking caring person who wants to save the world from death and make it a better place along the way.

Raisa Voltenescu: She/Her, 30 years old, Human Ranger, Swarmkeeper

Personality- A Positive, Optimistic, Air headed, Rash, Friendly, and Eager woman who is quick to see the good in all of the bad. Raisa is the group’s much needed sunshine cinnamon roll who keeps the group’s spirits up and guides them forward. Being the only native Barovian and having some tragedy of her own, you would think she too would be doom and gloom, but somehow this rare beauty carries the sun with her everywhere she goes and it is infectious.

Kidnapped by the Mists:

Solomon doesn’t remember how he got kidnapped by the mists. At first all he could remember was going to bed, then waking up in the dirt. He felt sore, tired, and extremely disoriented. He had the feeling something happened, but couldn’t fathom what. His immediate worries were his appearance (brushing the dirt off and fixing his necktie) but then… where was he? He didn’t notice the ax in the tree beside him at first, but once he did, he pulled it free and made his way to the crossroad.

Atropa and Bell, the Wixx siblings, were out collecting spell components in the woods near the Menagerie Coast of Wildemount when a sudden mist began to roll in. When the two siblings turned to head back, they found themselves instead at a crossroads.

Raisa was out playing in the woods near her Barovian home of Immol with one of her many ravens, Keelin, when she heard a voice say “they need your help”. The mysterious voice urged her forward until the mist suddenly swirled around her and brought the young Barovian to a crossroads.

----

THE CROSSROADS

The adventurers encounter a huge, cloaked figure with yellow eyes and a 12-foot wingspan at a crossroads. The figure flies away, leaving behind four large dark feathers. 

Shaken and confused, they introduce themselves.

The woman named Raisa urges the group to move forward, warning that the woods are especially dangerous at night.

HALVHREST MANOR/ HOUSE OF LAMENT

The adventurers find a large mansion with a wagon outside and learn from Raisa about the Vistani, who can travel safely through the mists.

They are greeted by Ireena, an armor-clad woman with auburn hair, who takes them inside to meet Ez, a dark-skinned, dark-haired Vistani woman with a prosthetic leg.

Ez tells them they are in Borca at Halvhrest Manor and that she and Ireena are investigating the haunted house.

For shelter and a possible ride in her wagon, Solomon offers the group's help in the investigation.

Spending a few days and getting to know one another, the group successfully solves the haunting of the house.

During that time they learned and accomplished:

That an old unfinished battle between the knight Mara Silvra and the horrible dictator Dranzorg was what was cursing the house

That Ez, Ireena, and Raisa’s home was rumored to be ruled by a vampire king 

They all get tarokka card readings from Ez with various troubling predictions.

Bell let Mara’s spirit inhabit her body so the unfinished battle could be fought 

The party destroyed a chunk of amber down in the basement and released some sort of laughing black mist that disappeared

And the battle was fought and won, and the house was cleansed

The group ran outside and looked around at the saved house, just as mist quickly began to surround them, and with panicked grasping at new found friends, the mists swallow the group up again, leaving Ez and Ireena staring after them as they were pulled away. 

BAROVIA VILLAGE

As the mist subsides, the four adventurers see each other and a giant winged creature flying away. They find themselves at the Barovian East Gate. Barovia?!

They make their way to Barovia Village, where they meet an old woman known as Babushka, who gives them a free apple pie.

They soon after meet Ismark Kolyanovich, Burgomaster of Barovia Village, who is relieved to hear that his sister Ireena is safe.

He tells them that his father has passed away and cannot be buried because everyone believes him to be cursed. 

A year ago, there was a raid on the castle that Ismark's father did not support, and when it went poorly, the village cursed him, thinking it his fault. A few days later he got sick.

Ismark and Ireena went to see the Vistani to get medicine for him, and an old seer told Ireena that she was in danger and needed to leave Barovia.

That was where they met Ez and the two were able to make it out of Barovia safely.

The group offers to help Ismark the next day.

That night, Atropa confronts Bell about her strange behavior, and Bell reveals that Mara is still with her as a companion and that she plans to keep her, much to her brother's worry.

BAROVIA VILLAGE CHURCH

The group meets Father Donavich and while they are waiting for nightfall, Bell confronts Atropa about his odd behavior and secretive writing. He shows her his unconventional spell book, which works off intention rather than runes. Bell questions if Atropa is truly a wizard as their magic seems so different.

As the sun fully sets, the group experiences a few disturbing events back to back (welcome to Barovia), including the cries of a locked up vampire in the church, a parade of glowing green spirits, and a zombie attack!

They are able to fight off the zombies, and Father Donovich tells the group that his son Doru returned from storming the castle and was changed into a vampire.

The group argues over what to do about Doru, but are interrupted as a dark skinned elven man shows up in a large black carriage and gives Ismark and the rest of them letters from Strahd Von Zarovich, the king. 

Ismark’s letter is full of sympathy and condolences for his father. 

The rest of the group receive personalized letters inviting them to dinner at Ravenloft Castle, prompting a lot of mixed feelings. 

DORU

Father Donovich reluctantly allows the group to confront his vampire son in the church cellar. 

Despite their best efforts to reason with Doru, he bites Raisa and the group is forced to kill him in self defense. 

Raisa panics, but Atropa reassures her that vampire bites don’t work the way she thinks. (???)

After cleaning up the cellar and Solomon fabricating a story that Doru's final sane wish was to die, they leave Father Donovich for Ismark's home. 

They hear church bells ringing as they go, but the off beat strange tone sends the group frantically running back. 

[TW: Self Harm] They find Father Donovich attempting to hang himself from the bell, but manage to save him. 

Ismark is called, and upon arrival promises to care for Father Donovich and make sure he is safe.

DURST CRYPTS

The group investigates the cemetery for a reason behind the zombies, which leads them into the Durst family's hidden grave tunnel.

Ismark had informed them that the Dursts once owned a mansion that burned down just over a year ago.

They end up in the basement of a house that was used for strange cult activity and are attacked by a sewage monster. They barely evade the monster's pursuit.

They watch in horror as the house burns around them, but make it outside, where they find a plaque calling the mansion "The Durst House," the place that had burned down.

They realize they are hours away from Barovia Village in the dead of night.

While sprinting back to Vallaki, the group is chased by wolves, but they see an old man who tells them to follow him down a misty path. 

They tell the man to follow them instead, but he doesn’t listen and is mauled.

The group makes it back to Ismark’s house, who tells them that the man they describe on the road sounds like the Mad Mage, aka the one who led the siege on the castle the year before.

The group doesn’t sleep well.

TSER POOL VISTANI CAMP

The next day, as they arrive at Tser Falls, the group is warmly greeted by the friendly Vistani. Raisa reconnects with some old friends and they all learn that Madam Eva, the Vistani seer, was expecting them later that evening.

As they rest, the Vistani recounted a story about a wounded prince who sought their aid in the past. Grateful for their help, he granted them the ability of mist travel. 

When Madam Eva calls them for a Tarokka reading, she refers to them collectively as SABR. She gives them a group Tarokka card reading, and warns them that they need to take caution with powerful people who pose as friends. 

Each member also received a reading warning them of cryptic and personal missions.

There are a lot of mixed feelings about these readings (check out the full document for details) 

The night continues with dancing and enjoyment, and SABR purchases various trinkets from the Vardo Vendors before they catch a ride with the Vistani to the west gate the next morning.

ROAD TO CASTLE RAVENLOFT

On the way, the Vistani tell SABR about the Mad Mage who challenged Strahd. He was struck with lightning and thrown off the bridge into Tser Falls. Since then, people have seen lightning shooting up into the sky from where he fell.

As they are crossing the bridge, they see a creepy man fishing. Bell and Atropa recognize him as the man killed by wolves. He smiles at them and pulls up a severed head.

The whole party is disturbed, and makes no move to stop, cause ew and yikes.

They arrive at the west gate and all climb inside the carriage waiting for them, as Solomon notices druids chasing them from his window. They watch as they block the path with a fallen tree.

Lightning cracks in the sky and the men are swiftly attacked by wolves and scared off.

“Raven bearer” Keelin reminds the group about Raisa, who is somehow asleep during the commotion. Maybe she was why they were being followed…

CASTLE RAVENLOFT

They arrive at the castle, and they are led to Rahadin, the elven man they had seen at the church. The chamberlain takes them up to a guest apartment where they meet Escher, a handsome vampire man. Escher charms the group, especially Atropa.

Escher arranges for servants to prepare SABR for dinner.

Atropa goes first for being dressed, and privately chats with Escher about vampires not all being monsters, which Escher appreciates. They discuss rumors about SABR in the castle, and Atropa is happy to hear that people seem to be excited to meet them. Escher says that Strahd seems to be excited most of all, making Atropa smile.

As they prepare Bell for dinner, her black stained hands and tired appearance surprise them. There may be something wrong with Bell...

As they ready themselves to go down for dinner, they meet Volenta, wearing a big cat skull on her head. She intrudes into their personal space, but apologizes for her mask when she realizes the tabaxi siblings. She transforms into a bat and flies away. Atropa thinks she seems nice, but Escher warns against assuming that.

Art by @wintert-ide

DINNER WITH THE FAMILY

SABR enters the dining room where Strahd is playing the organ and is met with the whole family. Rahadin, Volenta, and two other beautiful women introduced as Ludmilla and Anastrasya. 

Strahd warmly welcomes them and cracks jokes trying to lighten the mood, but SABR still seems unsure as to why they were there to begin with. What did this man want? 

“I would love to hear more about you all. I have heard a little from Atropa of course, but I would love to hear your views also.” Everyone is confused.

Strahd reveals that Atropa had visited him months ago, and that he saw great potential in Atropa’s magical abilities. The two formed a fast “friendship” and talk regularly. Atropa was asked to keep their connection a secret so as not to sway their own opinions.

After some dirty looks Atropa’s way, Strahd proposes an alliance: he needs SABR's help to break a curse trapping him in Barovia. He wants them to act as his emissaries to explore lands beyond the mists and retrieve items for his research. He promises rewards and assistance for all of their help, but they don’t need to give him an answer yet. 

The conversation shifts as the wine runs out, to which Atropa, Solomon, and Escher go to the cellar for more and discover a man upside down being drained of blood. Solomon is greatly disturbed, but Atropa seems unfazed, even going as far as to say that if the man was a criminal like Escher said, it was a good resource to have.

As dinner ends and they move to the audience hall for a dance, Bell accuses Atropa of being a warlock who made a deal with Strahd for power. Atropa defends himself, saying he's only helped Strahd with information and that no huge deal was struck.

Bell storms off angrily.

FANCY DANCY

The group enters the audience hall, and each is paired with one of Strahd's wives for dancing

Ludmilla discusses necromancy with Bell and invites her to join a sisterhood she has been running. 

Volenta teases Solomon about his cold hands and recounts the murder spree she went on that brought her to the castle.

Anastrasya and Raisa discuss people known as “helpers” in Barovia, and if Raisa knows anything about such a topic. 

Escher dances closely with Atropa to get Strahd’s attention, and questions how Atropa gained it in the first place. Atropa can’t provide him with an answer, so Escher ends the dance and goes to pout.

Strahd and Atropa dance next, and he apologizes for the awkwardness of dinner.

During their conversation, Strahd whispers to Atropa that he is more than welcome to join him again (yes I said again) in his bed for the evening. He also mentions that one of the wives could possibly join them. Strahd leaves the task to Atropa to do before the night ends and Atropa wanders away to panic in bisexual.

Bell and Solomon have a silent conversation by tracing words onto each other's hands to avoid super-vampire hearing and he asks her to meet later in his room, making Bell blush.

Atropa asks Anastrasya to dance and fumbles his attempts at flirting. She finds his attempts cute, and agrees to join him and Strahd later. 

Bell confronts Strahd about Atropa, and Strahd explains Atropa's desire for him to teach him, making Bell mad.

Strahd goes on to compliment Bell (totally flirting), and she is not shy to ask a favor of him, that he will protect Atropa and be there for him no matter what. 

Bell says the reason she is asking is because she is actively dying and does not know how long she has...

Strahd offers Bell vampirism, which she says she will think about, but only to placate him. The two part and Strahd says that she is always welcome to seek him out if she can’t sleep. (Stop trying to collect the siblings Strahddy!)

Raisa dances with Volenta, who invites Raisa and Solomon to see more of her art.

SABR is dragged away to check it out. 

VOLENTA’S MASTERPIECE

SABR is brought to a room decorated floor to ceiling in bones. A big one of note being a silver dragon’s skull. 

After some time, Solomon urges them all to leave.

Volenta happily shows the group back up to the main room, saying she really likes them and even if she had not been asked to be nice to them all, that she probably still wouldn’t kill them. 

The moment she is gone, the party drops their facade and the panic of all they just saw sets in.

FIRST NIGHT AT CASTLE RAVENLOFT

SABR locks themselves in a guest room and Raisa reveals Volenta killed a giant raven who she suspects has a connection to her grandmother's necklace.

The group discusses Atropa and Strahd, to which he defends himself, saying he only shared information as he would with a friend, and explains his communication with Strahd through his magical book that functions as a two-way communicator.

Bell and Atropa then have a private conversation in which Bell reveals she's dying from necrosis in her fingers due to practicing necromancy. Atropa is upset she didn't tell him sooner.

Bell questions if Atropa's deal with Strahd is why they're trapped in Barovia, but Atropa denies it, saying Strahd was surprised when he arrived.

Atropa says they could have asked Strahd to help them look into a solution for her sickness, and Bell says he offered vampirism, but she would rather not. Atropa states that her dying is such a waste and before he can finish, Bell storms off upset. 

Ludmilla finds her and takes her to her study.

Raisa and Solomon stop Atropa from following Bell and express concern and loss of trust in him. Atropa says he will be more careful in what he talks about with Strahd, before leaving to look for her.

He finds Strahd instead. He shares his frustrations about Bell, to which Strahd advises him to let it be for the night and invites Atropa to unwind.

Atropa keeps talking, and brings Strahd’s vampire offer to Bell. Atropa admits it made him a little jealous. 

Strahd explains that he offered it to her first because of the urgency, but that Atropa had never asked. He asks if Atropa wants that, and Atropa explains he’s torn. He wants to protect his sister, but he also wants to be with him.

Strahd shares his own experiences with wanting to protect his siblings and asks if Atropa trusts him. They both share their trust with one another, as well as a kiss before teleporting to Strahd's study.

Bell returns to the room later, and Solomon invites her to talk. He shares details about the body they found in the cellar, and expresses concern about Atropa's reaction.

Bell and Solomon discuss their tentative alliance with Strahd for safety and possible benefits, though they have to be careful what they tell Atropa from now on.

Bell and Solomon also talk about their dynamic, and Solomon apologizes for treating Bell like a child and she apologizes for coming off as cold. She also points out Solomon’s unintended flirtation, which he didn't realize and is flustered.

ATROPA’S LOST DAY

Atropa wakes up alone in Strahd's bedroom, feeling sore, exhausted (half HP), and hungry due to blood loss after an enjoyable night. (but where's my uber Strahd?!).

He checks himself in the bathroom mirror and sees that Anastrasya left four large bite marks on his neck and is not very happy. 

Moving Strahd's study, Atropa looks at some of the covered paintings on the walls, and is surprised to see that one portrait above the mantle resembles Ireena but is labeled "Tatyana". Atropa wonders if maybe she was a relative?

Another portrait is of a man named Alek Guylim. Atropa takes note but covers the paintings again.

Atropa does a lot of reading in the study and wandering around, and gets scared by various situations in the creepy castle as he tries to find his way back to the main area with his friends.

While exploring he finds a stone brazier emitting tall white flames with a bowl containing colored stones with an inscription suggesting teleportation to different locations within the castle. 

He also encounters a haunted painting marked with a glyph of warning. He hears a chilling voice sound out when he moves, saying. "How dare you." 

Glowing red eyes appear as Strahd descends the staircase, visibly angry and says that Atropa has worn out his welcome. Atropa desperately tries to explain, as Strahd tells him to pray to whatever gods he believes in… before melting to wax and disappearing into mist… Oh thank gods, the glyph of warning!

Atropa retreats from the room (cause wtf), gets chased by some knight statues (more wtf), and ends up having to use the teleportation cup to send him to the top of the tower on the north side of the castle (wtf!!!)

He goes down a hatch and starts to hear a deep, rhythmic sound like a slow heartbeat, but as he opens the door leading downstairs, he encounters Rahadin who is visibly angry to see him there. 

He yells at Atropa for breaking castle rules and warns him that Strahd may be merciful, but he wouldn’t be.

He blindfolds Atropa and leads him away, saying Atropa must be the one to tell Strahd of his morning adventures.

SOMETHING’S UP WITH SOLOMON

While Atropa is narrowly avoiding death, Solomon reveals his peculiar pocket watch with thirteen numbers on its face, and says that he believes he is under some sort of time limit. 

He explains that he noticed the clock only goes up to midnight then runs backwards, but the last two nights the clock went a few minutes past midnight.

Bell casts some magic and pulls Solomon aside to tell him that he is giving off necromantic magic, suggesting he may be undead…

Solomon gets upset and angrily asks them to drop the matter.

They head downstairs to start their day, and see Rahadin and a no longer blindfolded Atropa who claims that he got lost. 

As they all sit to eat, Solomon discovers a book titled "Van Richten and Kulle’s Guide to the Restless Undead," a co-authored book with his work colleague, Van Richten. The date on the book indicates he has been absent from Mordent longer than he realized.

Solomon slams the book shut and leaves the table even more upset.

Bell asks Atropa about his little adventure. She asks where he was all night, but Bell guesses.

“Did he proposition you too?! Did he ask to sleep with you?!” “Wait, he asked you?! What?!” Bell says she of course declined but that it doesn’t sound like Atropa did.

He admits that he spent time with Strahd and Anastraya in Strahd’s room, and Bell is bewildered and stalks off. Atropa follows after and the two bicker for a while.

Later, Raisa tells them about her father and how they never found his body and she is afraid that he is out there somewhere walking around undead. 

The topic shifts to Raisa’s 12 spirit raven’s that come from the green parade they saw marching up to the castle. She also says that her alive raven Keelin has been with her for 30 plus years, which seems long for a raven to live. Maybe Keelin is supposed to be Raisa’s guardian?

Raisa talks a little about her mama and Solomon mentions that he comes from a very close large family. Atropa also takes the time to share what he found during his lost morning.

He mentions the portrait of the woman who looked like Ireena but was labeled Tatyana. The group says they should talk about it later because of how scared Ismark was of a certain someone…

Solomon fills Atropa in on his pocket watch. Atropa casts identify and he learns that something is after Solomon, that the closer the watch gets to the 13th hour, the closer it is to finding him and if it reaches the number, it will have found him and it will be very very bad. 

Solomon is baffled and terrified and wishes to start moving on as soon as they are able.

A knock at the door startles them all as Escher comes in. The group asks him questions about himself and vampirism, and learns that he is a spawn, a very different type of vampire from the brides. The way he was made was by Strahd drinking him until he died, and then buried him. 

He explains that there are so many different types of vampires, some bestial, some that couldn’t pass for human and creatures that can’t turn back and are always monsters.

As the group goes down for dinner, Bell and Atropa apologize to one another, and Bell tells Atropa that Solomon is undead. The two talk about it through messages to speculate.

As they all sit down to eat and talk about what they want to do about Strahd’s offer/deal, the lord himself jumpscares them all and joins them. 

They are able to come to an agreement on an offer: SABR would transverse the mists outside of Barovia, Strahd would give them the details of what it is he is looking for, they would go to those places to collect items and information, and SABR would return to him for even more rewards. 

He asks them to think about it some more, and offers to give them a tour of the castle. 

CASTLE TOUR

The first place Strahd takes SABR is to his chapel of the Morninglord, and discusses his connection to the land as a citizen and ruler. He is the land itself.

Bell asks about Strahd's recent interactions with his people, to which he says it has been a long while. Atropa and Bell encourage Strahd to get out more, maybe people would be less afraid if they knew him.

Raisa asks if the animals of the land also listen to Strahd, to which he says yes, but that he would have to micromanage every wolf pack and cauldron of bats at all times. It was just impossible.

Strahd shows them to a garden and he tells them that he often wishes he had an heir or successor, but that no one seems to be up to the task just yet… Awkward

He leads the group to a small library next, where they all casually chat and look through books. Strahd then asks to speak to Solomon alone.

Strahd unlocks a memory for Solomon: He was on a horse, riding as fast as he could into the night, away from something. He was wearing a mask over his face, the pocket watch in his hand with both arms on the 13, and he is running from death. Something behind him flies through the air and then suddenly… he is waking up next to an ax in the tree near the crossroads. 

Solomon comes out of the memory and Strahd tells him that whatever he is running from, that he does not need to run alone when he has the others.

Volenta shows up after they return and urges them to come look at her room. It is like something out of a messed up Barbie’s death house, with cute decor and macabre paintings and of course her skull collection.

Raisa is upset by seeing a giant raven skull among them.

Volenta excuses herself and Strahd leaves them to their own devices as well. He asks that they meet him again before the night is over with their decision on the deal.

Raisa tells the group after they are both gone that she is going to break into Anastrasya’s room to read her diary. She thinks she knows something about the dead giant raven. Atropa is appalled, but the others decide to help her.

She finds a letter sitting out in the open, talking to her friend called L, and asks her to leave a man named Viktor alone as he is no longer a concern of theirs. 

In her diary Anastraya writes that one of her spies in Emol spotted a giant raven. When she and Volenta went there, they were able to kill it but a plan Anastraya had been working on was ruined. 

At dinner, Atropa has to sit next to Rahadin, who immediately outs him for “getting lost” in the castle. Strahd simply laughs and says that Atropa of course never meant to get lost did he? He wants to know what happened.

Atropa goes into detail, but Strahd stops him before he says anything about the teleportation. Strahd tells Atropa that maybe next time Atropa finds himself in a hole, that it may be best if he stops digging. The whole group flinches at that, the edge to his voice subtle.

Ludmilla asks Bell to join her in her study after dinner, and Bell says that she and Atropa wanted to ask her about black hair dye. She agrees, but that Atropa must leave after. (My poor boy getting hated on)

SABR tells Strahd that they would like to accept his deal and he is thrilled.

He encourages them to visit Vallaki before they leave Barovia, but to maybe stay out of Barovia Village, as everyone seems to be upset with Ismark at the moment. 

SABR now knows they are heading back to Ismark when they leave.

Soon after dinner, Strahd takes them to his trophy room upon Raisa’s request and they learn a lot about Strahd’s military days. 

One story that sticks out in particular is that of the Knights of Argynvost. Strahd had wanted to be allies with the silver dragon, but learned that they had betrayed him. They all put two and two together, that the silver dragon head in Volenta’s masterpiece room has to be his.

STUDY TIME

Strahd and Atropa go to Ludmilla’s lab to retrieve hair dye, then to Strahd’s study.

Strahd performs an experiment on Atropa that will enhance Atropa’s powers. By mixing their blood together like the first time (when he became a warlock), he says he is hoping to give Atropa vampire-like abilities without the usual drawbacks.

They perform the ritual, [TW: bodily harm] Strahd cuts Atropa’s arm open and pours their mixture directly into his veins.

Meanwhile, Bell shows Ludmilla her magic prowess, and she asks what is killing Bell (she can smell it) and learns that Bell is cursed by a book from Zal’Honen. She suspects Bell has some sort of a connection to Barovia just as Atropa does.

Ludmilla has Bell cast some magic and determines that she is connected to the mists and shadows, probably from Zal’Honen. 

Ludmilla offers to help Bell harness her shadow magic at the risk of possibly making her condition worse. Bell agrees.

Ludmilla begins a spell, and Bell is quickly overcome by shadowy tendrils that reach into the core of her being. Bell fights to hold onto herself, just barely, but she is given shadow magic.

Raisa, Solomon, Rahadin and Anastrasya stayed behind at the dining table and discuss history, including Rahadin’s time fighting alongside Strahd.

Anastrasya offers to write Raisa a letter of recommendation for the library in Immol, so she will have no problem in getting in in the future. (They wouldn’t let her in in the past)

Back in the study, Strahd and Atropa discuss Atropa's book and if Strahd has made any headway of who he thinks it may have belonged to. 

Strahd theorizes that it could have wound up in Atropa’s home, intentionally or not, by the will of the Dark Powers. Atropa asks for clarification, but Strahd says that he does not know what they are exactly. Whatever the cause, they have learned that Atropa being there was no mere coincidence.

Upon asking if there is anything specific Strahd would like Atropa to report while traversing the mists, the topic of amber comes up. Strahd says it seems to appear in significant places.

Atropa confesses to forgetting to mention the amber pillar in the basement of the Halvrest Manor.

Strahd, enraged and with glowing eyes, shatters his wine glass. The fire goes out, and Strahd confronts Atropa, demanding an account of the encounter. Atropa nervously recounts them destroying the amber and releasing a cackling smoke.

Strahd’s grip on Atropa’s arm tightens and mutters that they have freed something terrible. 

He predicts there will be dire consequences, instructing Atropa to abandon other tasks and focus on returning to Borca as soon as he is able. 

Atropa’s mind is reeling, and Strahd tries to comfort him, he says that Atropa should return to the guest rooms and rest.

He teleports the two of them back to the lounge, and when Strahd leaves, Atropa lets go of his calm mask and grips his arm out of pain. 

Meanwhile, Bell and Ludmilla bond over tea and cookies!

Ludmilla offers insights on Solomon's unusual condition with Bell as she dyes her hair. Bell says she has not been able to examine Solomon, so Ludmilla encourages her to seduce him.

Bell and Mara talk when Ludmilla leaves, and Mara seems pissed. She asks what the point of seducing Solomon is, and Bell just thinks she is being jealous.

Solomon and Raisa learn from their conversation with Rahadin and Anastrasya that Rahadin killed the prince of the Dusk Elves and swore himself to the Von Zarovich family soon after. 

They also learn that Anastrasya was a part of the Karelova family of Vallaki. Solomon mentions that they found a deed to the estate, but she insists that they keep and use it if they ever go.

Atropa finds Escher lounging dramatically nearby and asks him to help dye his hair. 

He confides in him about what happened with Strahd, to which Escher tries to comfort him and be supportive.

When the others come in, Atropa informs them all that they need to go back to Borca as soon as they can upon Strahd’s request. They all seem confused by the request but agree.

Atropa thanks Escher for dying his hair, and he asks if Atropa needs help with dying his tail too. They excuse themselves to go do that while Raisa and Solomon talk one on one about Raisa knowing exactly what happened during the carriage ride up to the castle even though she was asleep. She even said so to Anastrasya in passing.

Raisa explains that apparently she can see through Keelin’s eyes, but she doesn’t understand how. 

Atropa and Escher come stumbling out of one of the spare rooms, looking rather disheveled. Raisa sees the smirk on Escher’s face and smacks the hickey she spies on Atropa’s neck. He blushes and starts heading to his room when she asks if they had fun. Escher pokes fun, saying they could have had more fun if Atropa stuck around~

Raisa asks what the rules are with the castle’s relationship dynamic, and Escher says that it’s pretty open. Strahd is with everyone, and the others all have their favorites. He only prefers men, so it is usually just Strahd, unless Atropa stays… 

Atropa waits up for Bell to come back, and the two share their recent experiences (Smooching Escher, Ludmilla’s bias towards natural castors, Atropa’s morning adventure, the amber conversation and that he is currently writing up a more detailed report for Strahd, Bell’s curse being linked to the Shadowfell, Ludmilla wanting Bell to compete with her other students, etc)

Atropa asks Bell if being a warlock is bad, and she asks again what deal he made. He says that he just said he would help Strahd in return for magic, and Bell says he basically gave himself eternally to the man, especially if he becomes a vampire. 

Their conversation is interrupted by Keelin who comes out of Raisa’s room acting weird. They figure out that magic is coming off of Raisa and find that she is seeing through Keelin in her sleep.

Atropa hangs out with Keelin well into the night, but during the early morning, Escher shows up again and the two end up sitting on the roof of the castle together flirting and talking until Escher has to leave. Atropa reminds him again that he is welcome to join them on the road any time.

The next morning they all go down and meet with Strahd for breakfast and Strahd pulls Atropa aside to speak with him, and says that his reaction the night before was out of fear and worry for his safety. Atropa apologizes, and instead of doing the same, Strahd says he forgives the honest mistake (fucking gaslighting asshole). 

Strahd says that he was rash asking Atropa to drop everything for Borca, and says he would instead like everyone to write out what happened. Atropa agrees.

Strahd runs his hand through Atropa’s hair and says he likes the new color. Atropa shyly explains that they thought it would help them blend in. Strahd doesn’t miss a beat and says that Atropa still stands out in his eyes. (you smooth son of a bitch) He asks to kiss Atropa, who eagerly agrees.

When they head back into the dining room, Atropa’s whole demeanor has changed to a happy one. 

Strahd thanks them all for coming again and says he had a gift prepared for each of them that they can find waiting in the carriage out front.

As they finish breakfast, Bell and Solomon suggest (demand) returning to Barovia Village to visit Babushka. Atropa doesn't get their obsession with her pie and asks if Strahd has ever had it. He hasn’t but is curious. 

Atropa reaches into his bag of holding but the pie is mysteriously gone.

They all say goodbye to Strahd and beeline it to Barovia Village.

THE RIDE BACK

SABR sees Barovia Village in the distance engulfed in flames and try really hard not to panic.

They all try to distract themselves on the long ride with chitchat, and Raisa jokingly suggests that maybe  Atropa's bag of holding “ate" his missing pie, just like the butler from Halvrest Manor.

Solomon shares the memory that he had in the castle, and the group speculates if the event led to his disappearing in the mists, and possibly why he is dead.

Solomon is pissed to hear that Bell shared her theory.

Continuing to grow heated as they talk, Solomon snaps at them all and Atropa snaps back rather harshly, causing a huge fight..

They try to break the tension by talking about Raisa casting magic in her sleep, but nothing helps. They ride out the rest of the few hours in silence

BAROVIA VILLAGE PART 3

SABR arrives in town and Bell and Solomon go to get pie while Raisa and Atropa investigate some weird Crimson Vardos.

Atropa talks to a vardo merchant and hears town gossip: a young girl has gone missing and was found dead, Mad Mary's house burned down and she is missing, and that there's an angry mob after Ismark for his lack of control. Some are also accusing Dezdrelda, a healer, of being a witch.

TROUBLE AT ISMARK’S

SABR follows a mob to Ismark’s house, and team A (Solomon and Bell) try to calm them while team B (Atropa and Raisa) work to get inside and set up a plan.

Atropa takes the form of a vampire with his Form of Dead and when the mob breaks in, they “witness Ismark killing it”. They call him Ismark the Slayer and go to tell the town. 

They celebrate for a second before realizing there are two more people in the attic that heard the whole thing. They are yelling threats at Ismark and accuse him of befriending the devil. 

Solomon ends up shooting one man when he tries to attack, and they intimidate the other into silence.

Night falls and Raisa receives a letter from her Mama warning about trouble in Immol.

Atropa and Solomon apologize to each other and are better now.

The next day, they meet Teo Tavian at the church, and he is dragged into helping SABR, now better known as BRATS with the new addition (temp player character whoo!), investigate the murder of a young girl.

After a lot of picking up clues, they come to suspect the red vardo leader Jaquellin, is responsible and that she is a monster that wears the heads of young women.

The Vardos already left, but are heading to Vallaki, so BRATS decides to follow.

Back at Ismark’s house, Ismark finds a letter from Strahd telling him to get his shit together with Barovia Village, or Strahd will come take care of it himself.

The next morning, they talk to Father Donavich and he asks them to ask the church in Vallaki to send another Father to come take his place. He needs to retire. Teo takes on this task and BRATS heads off.

ROAD TO VALLAKI…

Raisa shares detailed information with Teo about SABR's activities, leaving him somewhat shocked, and along the way he finds a spyglass at an old battle ground.

They all make it to the West Gate and see a Windmill up ahead that belongs to that girl Dezdrelda’s family.

THE OLD BONEGRINDER

BRATS are welcomed inside by Dezdrelda and her family, and the women explain the windmill's history as a sacred place and their roles as medicine women.

Bell asks if they might be able to heal her curse, and they take her and Atropa upstairs to try.

While the women are distracted, the sibs find a dark magic candle made from a hand, and find bones of human children that are being used to make flour. They snatch the hand with plans to destroy it.

Atropa panics and uses Thunderstep without knowing how it works, and teleports himself and Bell outside. The spells blast causes half of the windmill to cave in, enraging the women.

Trying to get out of there, BRATS has to face the three women, wolves, zombies, and… Solomon?! Turn Undead is cast on Solomon, and it is sadly just the confirmation everyone needs to learn that he truly is undead. But now is not the time.

Teo is able to dispel the charm on Solomon and get him back on their side. 

They figure out how to extinguish the hand candle, causing the women to merge into a demonic creature who retreats to the Ethereal Plane, with a threat that she will be back.

With no place to stay and night falling, they decide to make a dash for Vallaki. They can process almost dying later.

Art by @wintert-ide

THE PROPHET IN BROWN

Following a path through the forest, BRATS is jumpscared by a small little man who calls himself the Prophet in Brown. 

Bell and Atropa immediately recognize him as the man they saw get mauled by wolves and fishing on the bridge. He tells them that he has been watching them for quite some time. 

They try to wave him off as distracting them with his cryptic garble, when Atropa is singled out. He claims Atropa has taken his advice before, which confuses the group as Atropa denies knowing the man at all. They accuse him otherwise.

Teo uses the spyglass he found on the Prophet, which does something to Teo’s mind.  (Out of character, we know he got a indefinite madness for looking at him and has a bit of a fourth wall break now)

The Prophet leaves, and BRATS seeks refuge in an abandoned boat shack for the night.

VALLAKI

BRATS arrives in Vallaki and undergoes city registration. They have a few weapons confiscated and lie about who they are just incase.

They are escorted around by a disturbingly chipper woman who portrayed Vallaki as a joyful place despite signs of oppression.

Raisa is super excited when she sees Blinsky’s Toys, a toymaker she has loved her whole life. He has a lot of toys making fun of Strahd, and Atropa is incredibly displeased. 

Raisa gets to meet Blinsky, and he talks a little bit about his monkey and that he got him from a traveling circus man named Riktavio.

The group is shown the rest of Vallaki, gets some new clothing, and run into a person yelling about dark magics coming from the Baron’s attic. He is grabbed by some guards and hauled off to somewhere called the Re-Education Center, where “repeat unhappy people” go.

Eventually BRATS is dropped off at the Blue Water Inn at Raisa’s request, and she shares that they will be staying with her family who run it, the Martikovs. 

They have introductions, but the group is quick to gets together to talk about the weird city. Bell tells them all about Mara and they all think Bell is being possessed by the sword she got at the Halvhrest Manor, as she refuses to part with it at all. Solomon is able to convince her to show it to him later.

Solomon asks Atropa about the portraits seen at the castle that resemble Ireena and Atropa suggests that maybe Tatiana was Ireena’s ancestor.

Solomon reveals that he noticed two prominent vampire bites on Ireena's neck under her scarf during their time at Halvhrest Manor. He had spoken with Ismark privately and had learned that Ireena left Barovia with Ez due to vampire bites appearing over several nights.

Atropa shares that he had a similar bite mark on his neck from night with Strahd and Anastrasya.

They speculate about Anastrasya, and Raisa shares that the timeline from her diary of the giant raven being killed was around the same time her father died. 

Raisa shares her last day with her father and how he told her to run when they were being chased by wolves. Something large got between her and the pack and saved her, but she lost her father. 

Bell asks Raisa if her family has any history of shapeshifting, suggesting her father could have turned into the raven. She has no idea, but she does believe that Strahd was involved in her father's death.

Atropa is shocked by Raisa's suspicion of Strahd and gets defensive when they all tell him that they don’t like or trust Strahd still. They think he somehow charmed them into liking him and agreeing to the deal. 

The group tries to convince Atropa to reconsider his view of Strahd, but Atropa remains steadfast in his beliefs and grows angry at the betrayal.

Raisa tells Atropa to get out of her room, which he does in a huff.

Teo is overwhelmed by the sudden info dump.

RAISA HAS SECRETS 

Raisa sneaks down after everyone is in bed and joins a secret family meeting.

She meets Muriel Karlova, owner of the raven that helped BRATS back at the windmill. 

Her family, revealed to be members of the Keepers of the Feather, ask Raisa to share her experiences with BRATS, to which she tells them everything.

They reveal to Raisa that Keepers are helpers of those in need and guardians of knowledge and history. They hate Strahd.

Raisa admits that she has been pretending, claiming ignorance, and keeping secrets from BRATS. She never knew the details, but her parents were Keepers too.

They reveal to Raisa that her necklace contains spirits of ravens guiding her. The spirits are the ravens that belonged to keepers not from Barovia, but died there. The ravens stick around to help in death. 

They also discuss the significance of giant ravens like the one Volenta killed. They say they are creatures that appear when they are needed.

Raisa mentions Strahd's interest in artifacts called Mist Talismans from other domains, and they all wonder why. They need to keep a close eye and play nice for now.

They instruct Raisa to stay with BRATS, gather information, and watch for other keepers in the domains. She will be able to find help in people wearing feathers.

BELLS AND WHISTLES

Bell finds Solomon in his room, who is an anxious mess. His clock will hit the 13th hour tonight.

She tries to comfort him, ultimately shifting gears to Solomon asking Bell about her interest in him. “What do you want?” 

Bell directly asks if he likes her, to which he responds with non-romantic compliments, so she then asks bluntly if he wants to sleep with her, to which he says if that is all she wants, then she just has to say when. 

Bell tells Mara to leave (lmao)

Solomon asks if his current state of being will be a problem with her, as he reveals a severe unbleeding neck wound. His neck looks as if someone tried to cut his head off… probably from the ax that was thrown at him in his memory… Bell says not at all and offers to stitch it up, teasing him that he thinks a necromancer would have a problem with him being dead.

He reluctantly agrees to let her help him, and after more flirty banter, their encounter fades to black. (wink wonk~)

Art by @systemendeavors and @wintert-ide

THE THIRTEENTH HOUR

That night, Solomon’s pocket watch strikes the thirteenth hour, and a horse is heard galloping down the streets of Vallaki. Screams erupt from outside, and the Martikov family urgently calls for barricading the inn’s windows and doors.

Atropa opens his window and witnesses a headless horseman decapitating guards below.

The horseman, not finding what he wants among the heads, grows angrier, and Atropa quickly bars his window shut.

Solomon panics silently in his room, clutching Bell for support as the house goes quiet, fearing the horseman's presence. They can hear him stalking about outside, searching… searching for Solomon…

The tension eases as the horseman departs, and Solomon watches his pocket watch reverse. 

He gets violently sick from the stress.

Atropa rushes to Solomon’s room, taking note of Bell in there but deciding to leave that for later, and confronts him abrasively about the horseman, describing what he saw. "What did you do Solomon?!” He has no idea.

The Martikov’s say that it couldn’t find them because the dead can not see inside their home. The Inn is a safe place in Vallaki, making them all feel a bit more at ease.

Bell stays with Solomon, who is overwhelmed and passes out from stress.

Raisa and Teo share a room, and Raisa apologizes for involving him in their problems. He reassures her, but questions whether they can trust Atropa. Raisa admits that she isn’t sure. They both hope they can all make up soon.

HARD CONVERSATIONS

Atropa pouts and vents in his journal until Raisa comes to apologize for their fight. 

The two stay up and talk for a long time, trying to understand the others point of view until Atropa asks if Raisa wants him to ask Strahd about being charmed. Would that help them put that worry to rest? “Yes, maybe it would.”

The two work together to write a letter to him through Atropa’s journal and send it. 

They decide to retire for real after that, Atropa Raisa and Teo all sharing a room so no one is alone.

VALLAKI DAY 2: ALL OUT OF SPOONS

The inn is startled awake by the Captain of the guard, Izek. He demands to know if anyone saw the commotion from the night before. He blames it on horse thieves, and insists that two guards stole a horse and fled. No one is buying it and convince him that they saw nothing.

Bell shows Solomon her sword, and notices the name "Oathmaker" carved into it. Solomon warns Bell that the sword may be having an effect on her, even if it was Mara that made the oath long ago.

Over breakfast, BRATS chats with Raisa's family about their inherited estate outside Vallaki. It belonged to the Karelova family, but is long abandoned, but they are going to visit today to check it out.

When they are alone again, Atropa shows the group Strahd's response to he and Raisa’s letter, explaining that Strahd didn't cast a spell on the group, but that he has the ability to ease fears with his presence. The group reluctantly “accepts” his explanation.

BRATS checks their "lucky box" for the day and finds a cup with a trapped soul inside.. Atropa stores it in his bag of holding till they can release it, but is alarmed when he reaches in, and feels a hand pulling on the cup from inside his bag.

They figure out that whatever is in the bag has to be eating people. First the butler, then the people pie (the one made with bone flour), and now it tried to eat the soul. Atropa tries to identify the bag, but finds that his pearl component is missing, and that the bag ate it too! WTF!

On their way to their estate, BRATS discovers a man killed by wolves near Vallaki, who was searching for a specific spoon. 

They decide to investigate and find their new manor adorned with spoons.

Inside, they find a diary belonging to Wencensia Karelova, detailing her transformation into a monstrous rotting corpse.

When Wencensia arrives home, BRATS hides, but Teo steps forward and is nearly killed by a soup she serves him. 

The group manages to break her curse, restoring her to her old self. 

Raisa sends Keelin for her aunt's help, Atropa collects valuable silver spoons, and Teo and Bell watch Solomon angrily chopping a tree.

Muriel and other keepers help Wencensia into town, where she thanks them and offers her dowry as a reward.

AROUND TOWN

The group returns to town and head to the bookstore. Solomon meets a man named Yanavich, who shows him his printing press and discusses publishing a detective Alaric Ray fanfiction (for the father’s ghost at Halvrest Manor lol).

Solomon reads history books at the store but finds discrepancies compared to what he learned from Strahd. He is able to convince Yanavich to show him some other rare books after hours.

While in the store, Bell attracts attention from some upper-class women who invite her to a book club hosted by the Baron's wife.

Atropa and Teo visit a tea shop despite some people talking bad about it, and meet Andela, a tough, beautiful half-elven half-Vistani woman who is treated like an outcast in town.

After learning they mean her no harm, Andela informs them about Izek Stranzi being the Baron's adopted son, the Baroness's book club, and tensions between the Wachter and Vallokovich families.

There's a rivalry between the families due to a canceled betrothal between Viktor Vallokovich and Stella Wachter. Rumor is that Viktor hurt Stella in some way.

BELL OF THE BOOK CLUB

Bell gets to the mansion and is greeted by the Baroness, Lydia Petrovna who seems nervous but eager to meet her. 

She learns the group is reading “Gone with the Mists”, but learns that the event really seems to be focused on gossip rather than reading.

During the meeting, Izek enters with Viktor, who is holding what appears to be a stray cat. The Baroness speaks with Viktor in a stressed manner, but he is a dick back and retreats to his room.

TAKE ME TO CHURCH

Atropa and Teo head towards the church near the Baron’s house, and sit in the back until they get a chance to talk to Father Lucien Petrovich.

Teo asks him if he can spare someone to go to Barovia Village to replace the Father there. He suggests he speak to the Deacon about it as he has been wanting to leave Vallaki.

When they speak to him, he says he would be happy to, but that he has to wait for his son locked up in the Re-Education Center and will be for another two years. 

SOLO-MAN AT THE BOOKSTORE

Solomon goes back to the bookstore and does a lot of research, paying his new friend Yanavich so that he may linger around. The two start to form a great friendship.

Solomon looks at a lot of books to familiarize himself with what they may see in Barovia as they travel and anything that may be of importance.

RAISAING TO THE INN

Raisa heads back to the Blue Water Inn to help her family with the dinner rush, and while working, she meets Nikolai and Karl Wachter.

Nikolai, trying to flirt with Raisa, shares that Riktavio has a lot of animals with him in his caravan. He invites Raisa to sneak away and see the animals with him sometime.

Out of curiosity, Raisa agrees, making Nikolai believe he has landed a date.

During the conversation, Nikolai and Karl reluctantly reveal details about their sister, Stella, who they say is sick and heartbroken after everything with Viktor.

VIKTOR VALLAKOVICH 

Everyones goes to pick up Bell from the bookclub and notice a purple light coming from the attic window.

Inside Bell is discussing her efforts to regain her and Atropa’s family fortune with Lydia (a total lie to get them in with high society). 

Lydia decides to introduce Bell to Viktor, and hints that they should get acquainted. She leaves them alone to talk.

Viktor is super rude to Bell, but she is snarky right back, catching him off guard. (I’m not like other girls)

He lets her into the attic with him, and Bell is able to deduce that he is a magic user.

She admits that she and Atropa are as well, and learns that he has found some intense spells on a book page he found in the attic. He has been experimenting with necromancy and a teleportation circle.

On their way back to the inn, Viktor sneaks out and follows BRATS, causing them all to quickly get him inside before they are seen.

He reveals the book page once belonged to Strahd, and that if Atropa and Bell are magic users, that he needs their help deciphering it. 

The group is immediately interested

PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

BRATS deciphers a page from Strahd's journal detailing his relationship with Ludmilla who he was using, but eventually fell in love with.

The particular line of “As soon as I have no need of her assistance. She will be food like all the others” gives all of BRATS pause and all sideways glance Atropa.

They continue, and Strahd says he thought he would never love again after Patrina and Tatyana, but he makes Ludmilla the first of his undying companions.

Strahd's journal mentions experiments with teleportation to escape the mists.

When the night is done, Viktor leaves and BRATS reconnects to talk about what the hells just happened.

CHECK IN

Raisa learns from her uncle about an old wizard tower that may have more pages that belonged to Strahd and mentions people seeing "the Devil’s carriage" and a magic user near the swamp.

Raisa tells them all that she plans to skip a festival to investigate Riktavio, with Solomon joining her on her “date” with the Wachter brothers.

Atropa shares what he learned at a tea shop, and the topic turns to Stella. Teo is asked to check on her condition, using his holy man excuse to get in the door.

They discuss the Re-Education center's brutal practices in Vallaki with the Martikovs, and Teo says he will see if he can secure them an invite there as well to “give morning prayers”.

That evening, Atropa goes around and apologizes to the others about the other night's outburst. They all make up and talk about their goals moving forward.

Atropa talks with Bell about Strahd, coming to an understanding as Atropa opens up about his recent uncertainties. What is Strahd hiding?

They agree that the best course going forward is for Atropa to collect as much information about Strahd as he can, fact and rumor, to find out the truth. The heart to heart heals a little bit of their broken sibling bond <3 

Bell starts hearing voices talking to her in her head while studying, and both siblings wonder if this voice is similar to the voice Atropa heard on the way to the castle. They check to see if Zal's symbol is on the pendant Bell just got, but instead find a symbol of an eye and hand they don’t recognize.

Teo is able to recall it as a god whose name has been forgotten, it is so ancient and probably very bad. Yay.

Bell goes to bed and Raisa hatches an idea to break Bell’s sword curse. She is going to use a scroll! Instead, when they go in, they see a monster hand climbing towards Bell out of Atropa’s bag of holding. It gets scared and retreats back in.

BAG MAN! That’s the thing that took Atropa’s pearl! MORTAL ENEMIES FROM NOW ON!!

Raisa is able to suppress the sword, and Bell is thankful, but is tired from the horrors and goes back to sleep. (Big mood)

Atropa stays up all night and keeps watch over the bag. 

THE PASSENGER

Solomon calls a morning meeting after reading a book about monsters and theorizes that Bell and Atropa might be hearing voices due to an Allip, a creature of forbidden knowledge that can break one's mind. The Allip attaches itself to individuals until they break. It can only move on once knowledge is passed on and poses a danger to everyone around the infected person as it is very contagious if you talk about the information learned.

Atropa freaks out, because he and Strahd had just spent the night talking about what he had learned. Solomon tells him to check for anything odd he may have been writing without realizing it, as that is another symptom.

Atropa checks his journal and finds multiple entries repeating what the ring originally told him that he has no memory of. Fuck.

Solomon is frustrated that he didn’t get to Atropa in time, so the two write a letter to Strahd, warning him about the Allip and the potential danger.

THE WOLFHEAD JAMBOREE

BRATS does some shopping around town, and picks up a few missions, such as locating the stolen golden spoon and finding some ingredients for a few shop keeps.

They finish their errands just in time for the festival. Solomon, Raisa, and the brothers sneak away to Riktavio’s, while the others join the unsettling festival decorated with dead wolves and children running around in wolf pelts.

Lydia sends Viktor off with Bell to chat.

Atropa becomes “buddy buddy” with Viktor and starts calling him dude, to which Viktor is confused by but kind of likes?

They all play festival games to build trust, which starts to work until Re-Education Center testimonies begin.

A woman is brought up on stage in front of the crowd and gives a disturbing testimony about her experience in the center. It is clear that she means nothing she is saying and just wants to be free.

Atropa and Viktor exchange messages during the speech, to which Viktor expresses his anger and hatred towards Vallaki and his family.

Atropa tries to empathize with him about difficult family situations, but Viktor shuts down.

TO THE WAGONS

Solomon and Raisa follow the Wachter brothers over a wall into the area with the red vardos and Riktavio’s wagon, where the brothers antagonize a saber tooth tiger inside Riktavio's wagon.

Raisa tries to calm the animal, but the tiger breaks free and makes a mad dash towards the festival.

Raisa jumps onto the tiger's back to try calming it, while Solomon, who trusts Raisa to handle the situation, quickly investigates the red vardo and grabs anything he thinks looks important.

Solomon steals a horse and anticipating legal trouble, wakes up a kid who was tending the stables and feeds him a witness statement covering him and Raisa’s antics. 

The kid is confused, but agrees with Solomon before he rides off after Raisa.

As they are running, Izek Stranzi and guards come to intercept the situation.

BAT sneaks over to help Raisa as the Baron tries to calm the crowd, just as the tiger knocks Raisa free and turns down an alleyway, and  Riktavio appears and rides away on the creature's back.

Raisa and Solomon are quickly arrested by the guards while Izek and others pursue Riktavio.

ALL IS NOT WELL

Raisa and Solomon are brought to trial in front of the upset Baron at the festival, but the stable boy witness clears them of blame, and Solomon uses the city's own rules and papers to argue their case. They are let off the hook.

Afterwards, the Baron pulls BRATS aside and “invites” them all to dinner at his house in three days, which they reluctantly accept. 

Atropa and Teo introduce the group to Andela, and help her draw in some business to her stall, which she appreciates.

Meanwhile, Raisa notices they are being watched and learns from her aunt and uncle that it's an informant from the Wachter House. Very interesting… 

Back at the inn, Myriel tells the group that she tailed Rictavio and saw that he was wearing a disguise. His hat fell off and revealed him to have dark hair instead of his blonde, and he looked to be in his late 20’s. He cast a spell that quickly got him and the Sabertooth out of there.

BRATS has no idea who he could actually be.

Later in a room, Solomon tells the group about what he found in the red vardo: a book about interesting decapitations, domains beyond the mists and a note about them being places with new heads to grab, a shelf full of skulls, and a golden dragon comb. If it wasn’t obvious that she is the head thief, it certainly was now.

THE REEDUCATION CENTER

Teo, Atropa, Bell, and Father Lucien visit the Re-Education Center upon invite and under the pretext of offering “prayers and blessings”. 

They are taken to some restricted areas, such as the Hall of the Lost, where the most severely affected patients are kept, and the Sensory Deprivation Cells, which induce silence, blindness, and deafness to help “calm” wary people.

Bell convinces a guard to grant them access to higher floors and they manage to meet with the Decon’s son. 

After some persuasion, he agrees to play along with their plan to feign submission so he can be released.

Meanwhile, Atropa talks to an elven man imprisoned there, pretending to offer prayers. The man confesses that he is one of the “suitors” that was aggressively trying to court Andela because of her being one of the last female elves around. Atropa also learns that Andela got him sent to this place because he was being predatory and basically stalking her. 

The man tells Atropa to tell her, "She can forget me and let me rot in here, but she cannot let the extinction of our race be on her hands." Atropa decides against relaying this message, knowing it is not her fault and is untrue.

On their way out, the group meets the re-educators, clad in eerie black cloaks with hoods that obscure their faces. They introduce themselves as Ilimir and Ivalice, who arfe super creepy. They quickly get out of there, unsure of the re-educators' intentions.

After leaving the Re-Education Center, Atropa shares what he learned with Andela. She expresses sadness at how some men from her old village viewed her solely as a means to continue their race rather than as a person. Atropa is incredibly angry to hear that people could think in such a way.

MEET THE WACHTERS

BRATS visits the Wachter family after suspecting they were being followed at the festival.

The brothers are quick to thank Raisa and Solomon for not getting them in trouble over the wagon incident. They could have easily ratted them out.

Atropa challenges the already drinking Nikoli and Karl to a drinking contest to break the awkward ice, and it works. They all have a good time.

Lady Fiona Wachter joins them then, and dismisses her sons to speak with BRATS alone.

She introduces herself and explains that she keeps a close eye on new Vallaki visitors. 

She is quick to voice her frustration with the Baron's rule over the city and talks to them about her desire for a fair election so the people can choose instead of being dictated over.

BRATS cautiously listens but avoids showing clear support for either side of the argument.

After a lot of talking, Fiona trusts BRATS enough to meet Stella, and they learn that the girl has been cursed into believing she is a cat. (She is also only friendly to Bell and Atropa due to their tabaxi nature lol)

Bell is able to heal Stella, and the panicked girl starts to come back to herself slowly.

Fiona is eternally grateful and full of thanks, but she asks BRATS to give the family some space so they can care for Stella in privacy.They all agree and leave the reunited family.

Solomon suggests snooping while they're distracted, causing everyone to say “how could you?!” but they all do it anyway and find a hidden library.

They discover vampire romance novels and a document praising Strahd as the savior Vallaki and all of Barovia need.

Atropa takes a copy of the document to send to Strahd later.

They leave the house unnoticed, and now know that Fiona is even more of a fan of the devil than they thought.

Back at the inn, as everyone is settling down for the night they hear something super weird coming from the attic. When BRATS goes up to check, they see stepping back into their plane through some strange rift, Dexdrelda, the combined hags from the windmill!!!

They are able to fight her off, but she disappears into the ethereal plane again, vowing to make them all suffer.

The rest of the night was not very restful with the paranoia that she could pop out at any time. 

MAKING FRIENDS

The group decides to visit the wizard tower the next day but first enjoy a night of downtime.

Atropa befriends a local guard and a tax collector at the Bluewater Inn by challenging them to drinking contests. He wins a bet from each, earning their favor. (He has found his frat boy niche!)

Amidst the chaos at the bar, Solomon and Bell play chess, and Bell confides in Solomon about the curse that's killing her and her necrosed hands. She even goes as far to tell him that she believes it to have originated from Zal’Honen’s lost book. Solomon is his usual interested self, but there is concern there, more than he usually shows.

Raisa helps run the tavern during the rush, but later pulls Bell and Myriel aside. Bell has learned and observed a lot, so Raisa confirms for her that yes, she is a part of the Keepers now, and that keeper magic is extremely old and has been passed down from the Eldest Raven, the one who started the Keepers. She also says that Bell is correct in thinking that a lot of the mist domains were once connected and that the mists have not always been around. The Keepers believe the mists are alive somehow, which intrigues Bell.

Teo observes the festivities and eventually sets up his portable confession booth amongst the rowdy bar. Atropa, half drunk, confides in Teo about his insecurities regarding the Strahd situation, leading to a drunken heart-to-heart. 

Teo and Atropa have now achieved best friend status~ (A warlock and a holyman walk into a bar…)

DINNER WITH THE BARON

BRATS goes to meet the Baron and his family for dinner. Viktor is as grumpy as ever being around his family, Lydia appears stressed, and Izek keeps eyeing Solomon and Raisa suspiciously throughout the meal.

The dinner is tense, and eventually the Baron excuses his family so that he may speak with BRATS alone. 

TBaron asks them to spy on the Wachter family, suspecting Fiona's ambitions to replace him as Burgomaster. He also forbids BRATS from associating with his family publicly, which frustrates the group to no end.

They agree to his terms for now, but have their own plans in mind. When they all leave, they quietly talk about how they are totally going to stab the Baron in the back. This guy sucks.

THE WIZARD TOWER

BRATS leaves for the wizard tower the next day, and while traveling, they witness an old crazy magic man shooting lightning and watch as he transforms into a giant centipede creature and disappears. They suspect it was the Mad Mage. Wtf!

They come up on the tower and find that it has a magical lock and a mysterious code above the door.

Unable to unlock the door, the group triggers Gargoyles guarding the tower to come to life and are attacked.

Everything is looking bleak. Teo is captured and lifted into the sky, Bell and Solomon are heavily injured, and the situation looks dire.

As a last attempt to save everyone, Raisa uses emergency magic from her necklace to teleport everyone away from the tower to safety.

SABR lands in the snow on Mount Baratok, about a day's travel from Vallaki. They are battered but mostly unharmed, except for Teo… where is Teo?! 

Realization dawns on Raisa that her spell didn’t bring Teo with them, he was too far. The group panics. He was almost dead and was hoisted into the air by those monsters!!!

He has to be okay right?! They all decide to try to start trekking back to the tower though they are super far away. It isn’t looking good at all…

Before they can start out, the old man from before appeared to them and started talking crazy, but is also very adamant on keeping SABR’s attention and leading them. 

They followed him back to his house, and try to make some sort of sense out of his ramblings.

The group was able to fix whatever sanity he had lost, if only temporarily, and comes face to face with the Mad Mage, Zal’Honen. (WHOA)

THE MAD MAGE

Through talking with him for a little while, SABR learns that Zal’Honen hates Strahd, the two share the goal of trying to get out of the mists, he shares the same condition Bell does, and that there may be a powerful healer in Krezk that could help them.

During all of it, Bell gets her chance to get incredibly mad at him for what he did to her and smacks him across the face. He takes it, apologizing for what the mad version of himself must have done. 

After more talk, he asks if the group can take him to Borca whenever they go back, and to tell him if they find any pillars of amber anywhere. 

He also speaks about an alternative option for Bell, that perhaps a soul for a soul in the mists will be enough of an exchange of power to help save her. Bell hates the idea, and Atropa can’t help but feel like that is what he plans on doing with Bell already.

Atropa is super careful what he says to their new “pal” Zal, as he has no idea how he will react to him being Strahd’s warlock.

They leave after staying the night and bid Zal farewell, hoping he maintains his sanity.

FROGNAPPER

The group starts rushing back to Vallaki, hoping that Raisa’s spell somehow miss fired and took Teo there.

On their way, they see a scary little druid guy doing a ritual on top of Lake Zarovich and watch as he gets pulled under by something underwater. Monster in the lake. Cool.

The group nopes away from that, and as they continue, they see Rahadin of all people catching frogs and putting them in his bag. They all stare confused, but wave at him. He barely acknowledges them and gives them the feeling that he does not want them anywhere near him, so they leave him be. (The hate aura is strong)

TEO?!

Getting back to Vallaki, everyone rushes to the church, hoping that the Morninglord saved him. If not, next stop wizard tower. 

They get to the church and sit for the rest of service and hope Teo will appear. No such luck.

They start to make a plan of attack, when all of a sudden they  watch as the confessional booth curtain opens and reveals a confused Teo.

SABR pounces on him, ecstatic. The spell had worked!

Teo corrects them, explaining that he watched them get teleported away and remembers falling to his death. He woke up in the church not that long ago.

Did the Morninglord actually save him?

Relieved to be reunited whatever the case, BRATS takes Teo back to the Blue Water Inn to rest for the night.

THE WOLF DEN

After a night of relaxing, BRATS decides to investigate the missing golden spoon situation for the jeweler, which leads them to a wolf den.

They sneak past the sleeping wolves and explore some old mines, where they find gems and diamonds. Bell and Raisa spend some time extracting them.

Atropa sees movement while he is keeping watch and is attacked by vampires. A fight ensues.

BRATS fights and kills the vampires, and Bell uses Speak with Dead to learn about the master vampire of the cave named Lacomie, one of a group of seven old vampires.

They continue deeper into the cave and encounter Lacomie, who ambushes them.

Lacomie gets ahold of Atropa, lifts a wounded Warlock off the ground, bites into his neck, and drains his blood. 

Atropa dies

Teo is able to get to him quickly and resurrect him, but he is off and seems confused.

BRATS kills Lacomie after a tough struggle and finds the golden spoon.

They return the spoon to the jeweler and receive a discount at the shop. Atropa buys a new Pearl. (Yay! Fuck you Bag Man!)

BACK TO THE TOWER

BRATS returns to the wizard tower the next day, after learning how to avoid the gargoyles.

They complete a puzzle on the first floor that activates a talking elevator that shares facts about the tower's master, Kazhan, accompanied by calming music.

They reach the top floor to find the tower unoccupied. There is some evidence that Solomon’s colleague Van Richten may have been staying there at some point, and Solomon tells the group that he had seen evidence of him in town as well.

SABR finds more pages from Strahd's Tome on a desk and pockets them for later.

They explore the whole place, finding a few interesting things before heading back to their manor outside Vallaki.

They dump items they can't carry into Vallaki and plan their next moves.

TEO WAS BUSY

While SABR was at the tower, Teo had gone to the Re-Education Center and was able to get the Decon’s son out! He and his family will be leaving in the morning for Barovia Village. Teo has offered to go with them for protection. 

This is BRATS last night together for awhile. Sad. They all make the most of it and spend time together before seeing Teo off the next morning.

They say their goodbyes and promise to meet up again when they head to Immol. 

BACK TO  WACHTER HOUSE

SABR visits Fiona Wachter again, where she rewards them for helping Stella the last time they were there. She says she is doing a lot better.

Fiona goes into how she feels like SABR is special, and gets out of them that they are mist travelers. 

She shares a prophecy she received from Madam Eva when she was younger, predicting that an outsider would come through the mists and be welcomed by Strahd as a friend. She believes SABR fulfills this prophecy.

Atropa confirms that they are mist travelers and that Strahd is a friend to him and the group. Fiona is excited, believing they are what she has been waiting for.

Fiona recalls meeting Strahd when she was younger. She had snuck off to visit Castle Ravenloft, and he welcomed her. She found him to be not the monster others portrayed. Atropa couldn’t agree more, his loyalty to Strahd surging.

Atropa and Fiona bond over their shared perspective of Strahd, as the others look on, concerned.

SABR informs Fiona about the suspected vampires running the Re-Education Center, and they ask Atropa to write to Strahd for any info he may have. Fiona is impressed.

Strahd is quick to write back, and tells Atropa that the vampires have a history of threatening his family and says that he will send Volenta to Vallaki to help. 

SABR panics, cause please no not Volenta, but is able to convince Strahd not to send anyone… they think… 

Strahd considers intervening personally, due to the unrest in Vallaki and Barovia Village. Atropa and Bell had advised him to be more hands on after all… but he will leave it up to BRATS for now.

Back to the matter at hand, Fiona tells SABR that if they can take down Izek and find out what Viktor did to Stella, she will tell them the rest of her plans and they can work together to get the Baron out of office. 

They decide to attack Izek in a few days, on the day of the big Festival of the Burning Sun, so Fiona can challenge the Baron in front of the whole town.

ATROPA?

Atropa sets up a meeting with a guard who hates Izek, convincing him to join their plan against the Baron for Vallaki's greater good.

After meeting them at their estate outside of Vallaki and agreeing to their plan, Atropa offers to escort the guard back to Vallaki while the rest of SABR stays and prepares. 

An hour passes without Atropa returning, and the group immediately goes on alert. Has he arrested their favorite catboy?! Or worse? ...They find a blood trail leading to a nearby cave.

Everyone goes in ready for a fight and are met with a gruesome sight. Sitting with blood pooling around them, SABR sees Atropa drinking blood from the unconscious guard. His eyes are red and unfocused, making no move to stop as the others approach.

SABR manages to separate Atropa from the guard and Bell quickly heals him while Solomon smacks Atropa, snapping him out of his state. Atropa is horrified by what he's done and has no memory of the attack.

The group concocts a story about a wolf attack to explain the guard's injuries, hoping he won't remember what happened either.

Outside, Atropa is hysterical, expressing remorse and disbelief. He didn’t want this. Strahd promised it wouldn’t happen. He didn't want to be a vampire.

Solomon and Raisa suggest Atropa may have been turned by Lacomie's bite, killing him in the cave. 

SABR takes the Sergeant back to Vallaki.

ARGYNVOSTHOLT

Atropa asks to press on, as they have a lot to do, and SABR sets out for a graveyard rumored to harbor walking dead. 

En route, they encounter a body hung from a tree with a ram's skull replacing its head. The symbols carved into it indicate that it is being used as a shrine to death. Lovely.

They spot Argynvostholt, the home of the silver dragon knights who were once allies and then enemies of Strahd. Intrigued, they decide to investigate.

Inside, they see the shadow of a huge dragon fly overhead and follow it through the fortress.

While exploring, they are attacked by undead knights, who become aggressive upon learning Atropa serves Strahd. Atropa hides while the others clam the knights by convincing them they are allies. Atropa drops the form of dread he had put on and pretends to be someone entirely different to rejoin the group.

Deeper in Argynvostholt, they meet Sir Godfrey Gwilym, an undead knight who explains that intense emotions sustain the undead knights there and allow them to be reanimated.

Godfrey tells them how Strahd attacked the knights and the silver dragon, wiping them out because Strahd saw their kindness towards refugees he was fighting against as breaking their pact at being neutral in the war.

Godfrey says they may continue forward, but to be wary of some as not everyone there is nocile. 

LADY LUGDANA

Deeper within Argynvostholt, SABR encounters Lady Lugdana's spirit who singles out Raisa as she was once a Keeper in life.

Lady Lugdana explains that she was away from the knights hunting the last priests of Osybus when the Mists sapped her strength. She witnessed her comrades fall and spent years fighting.

During her battles, Lady Lugdana met a giant raven that gave her a relic, her greatest weapon. She believes the Eldest Raven still lives, and when he died fighting a secret sect of Osybus followers, she offered the relic back to the ravens, where it waits for a worthy person to claim it.

Lady Lugdana warns that some seek war with those marked by the raven. The forest folk druids, and witches in the swamps pose a threat to them.

SABR asks about the silhouette of the dragon they saw upon entering the hold, and Lady Lagdana says that she feels that even Argynvost may not be at rest. 

OSYBUS

SABR asks for more information about Osybus and are told that Osybus was an evil man who commanded followers and was ultimately defeated by Argynvost and his knights. 

Osybus's followers betrayed him, leading to him being sealed in amber. The amber was taken to the Laventz family… Wasn’t that the name of the castle owned by the Silvra family? The one back in Borca that was merged with Halvhrest manor where they fought Dranzorg and broke a giant piece of…

SABR remembers destroying the amber in Laventz Castle, releasing black smoke that mocked them. Strahd had a strong reaction to this incident, particularly yelling at Atropa over it.

SABR comes to a horrible realization. The amber they destroyed, the black smoke that came out of it and laughed at them all, the amber Strahd had yelled at Atropa over. Had it been housing Osybus the whole time!?

Lady Lugdana gives them a raven key, and tells them that if they are meant to find what it opens, then they will and she can say no more than that.

WTF IS A CHORT?!

As SABR is leaving, one of the knights joins them, as he is curious of the body they saw hanging from a tree on their way in. He says he has seen some of them and is insistent on taking them down, suspecting it to be connected to rituals performed by the forest folk.

While attempting to help the knight remove one of these bodies, they are suddenly attacked by a terrifying decaying Moose Monster emerging from the woods.

In a desperate attempt to flee, Atropa summons two steeds for the group, allowing them to ride away.

They manage to reach safety at a nearby Vistani camp, where the creature eventually stops pursuing them, leaving them all shaken but alive.

Raisa looks through her book and tells the group what the creature is called a Chort.

LAKES CURSED

Upon arriving at the camp, SABR hears that a child is missing. The little girl Arabella was last seen in Vallaki near the orphanage.

SABR hurries off to track her down for the worried family that aren’t able to get into the city walls.

At the orphanage, they learn that a man comes by every so often and tries to get the kids to play with him.

SABR gets his description and starts off towards Lake Von Zarovich where they find the man rowing out onto the water carrying a wiggling bag.

They knock the man out of the boat, and he is instantly torn apart and eaten by a monster in the lake….

All of SABR sees tentacles coming out of the lake and hear a voice they can’t really understand. The creature is sentient, and seems to be pleased with being fed. 

They all get the hells out of there.

ARABELLA OF THE VISTANI

SABR learns from Arabella that she is the seer they were meant to meet.

Back at the Vistani camp, Arabella plans to give the group a reading after they settle down and to find her when they are ready.

They take a moment to relax and open their lucky box, and are surprised when they pull out a leather book with the Von Zarovich crest on it. They all freak out that this is the journal they have been finding the pages from. This is the Tome of Strahd.

They all try to compose themselves and hide the book in their bags (not Atropa’s) before any of the Vistani see.

They go to Arabella to start their readings, and she gives one about artifacts they were asked to find. She names a few different domains to look in, such as Dementlieu, Richmulot, Mordent, and Darkon.

Each member receives a personal reading from Arabella:

Raisa's includes ominous references to Teo and a feeling of being manipulated.

Bell's suggests finding a new purpose, uncovering secrets, and protection.

Atropa's implies a changed fate and the importance of something he has seen.

Solomon reluctantly gets a reading indicating conflict and hidden potential for good.

Before Solomon’s reading, he makes a comment hoping he doesn’t get anymore terrible readings, but Arabella is able to convince him that it will be a good one. 

During Solomon's reading, Arabella draws the Broken One card, a recurring bad card for him, and slyly changes the card out for another without him noticing.

After the reading Bell and Atropa stay back and explain to Arabella reoccuring card.

She warns them that something terrible may be coming soon and that he needs to be incredibly careful.

THE TOME OF STRAHD

(Huge story spoilers. Read at your own risk my fellow players)

Getting back to the Blue Water in, SABR goes into one of the center rooms (no windows) and locks the door. 

They began pouring through Strahd’s Tome now that they were alone, Bell reading it aloud.

It talked about his life as a prince, fighting in the war, and leading men into battle from a young age. Recollections of his father’s love and cruelty, friendships he had made that were so strong they would die for one another, and feelings so intense that he began to twist as a person.

Tatyana, the woman from the portrait above Strahd’s mantle was a huge part of it. She had been his younger brother Sergei’s betrothed, and Strahd was insanely jealous. The journal was written in such a way that SABR could understand that what Strahd was saying could not have been the whole truth. 

He claims that he had been courting Tatyana, that she and Strahd had secretly been in love and that he was going to propose to her the moment he got back from an outing, only to find his brother had stolen her away from him.

Strahd was distraught, and that was when the Dark Powers found him…

THE DARK POWERS

After returning home and hearing the news from Rahadin that Sergei and Tatyana were to be married, Strahd locked himself in his study and did everything he could to distract himself. 

He noticed a book on his study shelf that he did not recognize, incomprehensible lore and diagrams of incredibly dark nature that both excited and filled Strahd with dread. That was when it found him.

The candles went out and Strahd heard a voice coming from everywhere and nowhere. All of his loved ones, their voices coming from every direction spoke to him about his heart's desire. Was he going to let Sergei take Tatyana from him? After everything Strahd had done for his family? Was he going to let his little brother charm her? She was meant to be with him. 

The powers said they could give him her and that he would never age another day. Everything the young prince wanted.

Strahd wanted to know what the dark powers wanted from him in return.

The darkness overwhelmed Strahd with their power and waited for his answer to its proposal. He said nothing for a long while, and only as his last chance was retreating, did he ask what he must do. A deal was struck.

As the powers go, Strahd finds that his dear friend Alek has overheard the whole thing. 

The men confront each other and a deadly battle ensues, ending with Strahd mortally wounding Alek after being stabbed himself.

As Alek lay dying, he told Strahd he would have helped him. He only had to ask. Alek was gone.

The voices urged Strahd to choose life then for himself, "No point in us both dying, Strahd." they urged on. All he had to do was drink. And he did.

Haunted by guilt of killing his best friend, Strahd hides Alek's body, only to find it gone the next day.

WEDDING DAY

Awhile later, on the day of the wedding, Strahd noticed one of his missing books in Sergei's room, a book of enchantments and charms.

He confronts his brother privately about the book and accuses Sergei of using spells on Tatyana to charm her into the wedding.

Strahd pulled out a dagger and stabs Sergei through, killing his younger brother in cold blood.

He would blame it on an assassin. It had to be done to save Tatyana.

Strahd went to find her, to tell her that Sergei was dead, just as the castle was attacked.

He watched as Tatyana was shot by an arrow and fell to her death over the side of the castle balcony. She was gone, and Strahd was consumed by darkness.

 A man named Leo Delisnya had orchestrated an assault and had turned some of Strahd’s loyal men against him. They were killing everyone they could.

Strahd was able to put a stop to them, embracing the monster he had become and fought to keep those loyal to him safe. He had them swear to never speak of it, and there has been no written account to that night besides this journal he wrote in now.

TATYANA

Strahd talks about the time he spent trying to find Tatyana’s body after her fall, but it seems like she disappeared just as Alek did. Is this the Dark Powers doing?

It has to be. All of it has to be the Dark Powers fault.

Strahd reveals that Tatyana has been being reincarnated, his true curse, and recounts the life times she has lived that he has found her in and tried to reconnect with her.

All of them have always ended horribly, her death inescapable… but he will save her. He must. He loves her. She is everything good and everything he could ever want. He has to, he must. He can not fail.

PATRINA

During his time of grief and isolation and waiting forf Tatyana to appear to hiim again, Strahd was visited by an old love he knew before his change into a vampire. Patrina, a dusk elven woman came to visit him and the two reconnected. She brought some hope back into Strahd’s very dark world and made him feel a bit more like himself again. 

The two planned to marry, but when Patrina returned back to her village to tell her family, she was killed. 

Kasimir, her brother and lord of the Dusk Elves had killed Patrina to keep her out of Strahd’s hands. “She is forever beyond your grasp, monster.” was what he said to Strahd when he came to collect her. 

Strahd took her body back to Ravenloft Castle and entombed her there as family.

He and Rahadin planned revenge then, no mere execution of Kasimir would be enough. (TW: Genocide) Strahd issued for Kasimir to “be marked” so everyone would know who was to blame, and ordered that the women of the Dusk Elves be slaughtered so that their race would struggle to survive and eventually die out.

Rahadin was far too pleased as he accepted the task.

HEART OF SORROW

Jumping forward in journal entries, Strahd and Ludmilla have combined their studies on the Amber Temple tomes and Azalin’s research to theorize a new spell variation.

They have successfully created a magical artifact referred to as the Heart, which acts as a shielding ward for Strahd.

The Heart is made from crystal and regenerates over time. It has become a living entity linked to Strahd’s own heart, similar in concept to a lich’s phylactery but with different implications for his mortality.

The Heart has a peculiar capability—it absorbs Strahd’s negative emotions such as hate, rage, grief, and sorrow, causing it to grow.

Strahd has placed the Heart in his tower, naming it the "Heart of Sorrow." It serves as a vessel to absorb his emotional pain, allowing him to detach from his feelings.

Was this what Atropa heard during his lost day in the tower?!

To wrap up his tome, Strahd reflected on his eternal fate bound to Barovia, a cycle of longing, loss, and unattainable desires. There must be some way to break this curse, and he would stop at nothing till he was free once more.

That was a lot to absorb.

SABR all agreed that what they just read changed A LOT of their views on many different topics. 

With everything currently going on, they decided to put a pin in those horrors until after they dealt with the Baron and Izek.

One thing they all agreed on though, was that no one was allowed to tell Strahd about Ireena.

THE STONEGARDEN

SABR heads to the graveyard, passed Argynvostholt, and finds Elizabeth Lightwood (the lady they heard rumor about in town to be a magic user). She is dressed in Mordentish attire and sipping tea amidst her magically animated skeletons 

To their surprise, SABR learns that Elizabeth was the person Anastrasya mentioned in her diary, the one who had been instructed to show Viktor a few things. They also learn that she is one of Ludmilla’s students 

Elizabeth regrets letting Viktor copy a scroll of Modify Memory from her, suspecting he used it on Stella frequently and that is what hurt the girl.

Elizabeth expresses a desire to return to Mordent and offers to share more information with SABR in exchange for their help in safely leaving Barovia. 

They agree and Elizabeth asks them to drink a tea that will erase their memories of their encounter (besides them offering to take her home) and hers of the information she is about to share. 

All of SABR drinks it, except Atropa.

Before the effects of the tea take hold, Elizabeth gives SABR more missing pages from Strahd's  tome and letters between her and Ludmilla. 

The pages from Strahd's tome detail his and Azalin's attempts to understand the Mists. They conducted experiments, sent creatures through the Mists, and even attempted to travel through themselves. 

Their successful venture took them to Mordentshire for 6 months before they were spit back into Barovia with no memory of their time there. 

On their last attempt, Azlin disappears

BACK TO THE BARON’S

Ready to accomplish the plan, SABR heads back to the Baron’s house.

Bell and Atropa distract the Baron by “relaying” information about Fiona while Solomon snoops. 

He finds a hidden closet where the Baron has been conducting personal acts of punishment and torture, and in another room Solomon discovers a collection of books and most importantly, Viktor's diary. 

The diary contains damning admissions of Viktor experimenting on Stella, manipulation, unethical experiments on cats and servants, and his work on teleportation magic. He is desperately trying to escape Barovia.

After seeing enough, SABR leaves with evidence in hand.

THE BONES?!

Morning of the Festival of the Blazing Sun, SABR was greeted by Father Lucian coming to the inn to tell them that there had been a theft at the church! The Bones of St. Andrul are missing!

They go and investigate, learning that the gravedigger may know more. 

After questioning the gravedigger, he admits to having been bribed by Viktor to move the bones to an open grave with the coffin maker’s help.

Bell says Ludmilla probably wanted the bones for spellwork, and Raisa thinks that someone wanted to be able to get into the church.

Father Lucien explains that the bones are supposed to keep dark forces out of Vallaki, or at least out of the church…

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

SABR goes to go Fiona to tell her about what they have learned and find a gathering of minor nobility and aristocrats.

They were shocked to see Lady Anastrasya among them, Atropa and Raisa particularly uncomfortable because of Raisa reading in her diary, and Atropa not yet telling Strahd about being a vampire…

Privately, SABR talks to Fiona about what they found. They ask for mercy toward the Baron's victim of a wife and provide Viktor's diary as evidence of his atrocities against Stella.

They also inform her of their plans for Izek and they get on the same page that the Baron must be stopped. 

SABR asks about Anastrasya being there, and are told that she is handling the vampires in the re-education center. Strahd must have sent someone after all…

Fiona says that the next step is to stage a coup at the festival when the Baron is giving his speech. She says SABR need do nothing more than take care of Izek and that she will see them all there when it is time.

STICK TO THE PLAN

Raisa runs to the Inn and tells her family everything. The family is concerned, but decides to stay away from the festival and plan for whatever may happen. Atropa warns Andela as well, and though confused, she agrees to stay with the Martikovs.

SABR calls upon their allied guards and orchestrates a diversion involving a fake Rictavio sighting. 

Izek takes the bait, leaving Vallaki to chase after the false lead, and SABR goes out to face him, to see if they can reason with him at all.

They can not. Izek is immediately hostile and a fight breaks out. 

SABR and their new guard friends through strategic tactics and teamwork are able to knock many of the men unconscious and kill Izek.

As they are cleaning up right after the fight and the men have retreated back to Vallaki, Atropa has a moment of weakness and is overcome by his vampiric thirst. He drinks from Izek’s freshly dead body and gains the knowledge of a new spell in the process. That’s a thing?!

Back to the plan, SABR starts back to the festival and to meet up with Fiona for step three of overthrowing Vargus. 

FESTIVAL OF THE BLAZING SUN

(More main story spoilers~)

SABR arrives in Vallaki just as Fiona, supported by Anastrasya, goes up on stage during the Baron’s speech and challenges his authority.

She accuses the Baron of tyranny, and urges for change in Vallaki. They must start over.

Vampire thralls suddenly appear, targeting the Baron and Viktor and shocking SABR. This wasn’t a part of the plan!

Viktor is able to get away and starts running back to his house

SABR knows exactly what he is going to try, and goes after him to stop him from teleporting and getting himself killed. 

SABR makes it to his house, but a flash of purple light and energy shock goes off. They run inside and find half of the bones of St. Andral amongst the blast. 

Did he just succeed?! FUCK!

They run back to the square, when they see the thrall holding Vargus down in front of Fiona and Anastrasya and the baroness being put into a black carriage.

Many of the villagers have run into the church of St. Andral to take shelter from the thrall, watching as some of them attack the guards.

SABR runs up to Fiona and questions why they are doing this. This isn’t what Fiona said would happen!

They are interrupted as they see Volenta and a few other spawn come down the road carrying the heads of the vampire twins. Oh shit.

Anastrasya instructs Volenta to take care of Vargus, and she happily tears out his throat in front of everyone.

Bell and Atropa confront Fiona again and demands an answer

Fiona justifies her actions, saying that the need for change in Vallaki is like lighting a fire that clears the way for new growth.

SABR prepares to fight Fiona and her allies, but are stopped short.

Everyone watches in shock and surprise as a flaming black horse comes riding down from the sky with a man upon its back. Strahd…

The villagers and combatants fall silent as Strahd dismounts and commands the spawn to stand down.

Strahd demands to know what is going on, allowing Fiona to explain herself enthusiastically before turning to SABR for their side of the story.

Atropa and Bell tell him the whole thing, of Fiona's plans and lies.

Strahd scolds Anastrasya and Volenta for their dishonorable actions and promises to deal with them later, visibly furious.

Turning back to Fiona, Strahd calmly asks if she has any children and in her silence says “I’ll take that as a yes. At least there will be someone to carry-on the allegiance to the Von Zarovich line.” 

Strahd leans forward and detaches her spine from her skull. Everyone watches as Fiona crumples to the ground dead.

Strahd turns and addresses the crowd and announces his return in a month to check on Vallaki, demanding that a new Burgomaster be chosen by then, or he will make the decision himself.

He tells Anastrasya and Volenta to go, before he turns into mist and is gone.

Bell goes off on Anastrasya, who is still looking smug. She says nothing as she and Volenta climb into her carriage and drive away.

INTO THE BUNKER

The vampire thrall continue to attack the people of Vallaki, so SABR grabs all the civilians they can and hightails it back to the Blue Water Inn.

When they get there, the Martokov’s welcome people into a secret basement bunker that they promise is even more heavily warded.

Andela is quick to find Atropa and hugs him, glad he is alright. He explains what happened, and she is shocked. She asks him how he knew to warn her, and Atropa doesn’t know what to say…

SABR realizes that Father Lucien isn’t in the bunker and takes off back towards the church. They must have missed a crowd.

With stealth and caution, they make it back to the church and manage to slip past distracted thralls. They find him huddled with a group of frightened villagers, trying to maintain calm amidst the terrifying events.

SABR swiftly guides Father Lucien and the villagers back through the streets towards the Blue Water Inn. The journey back is tense, with occasional close calls, but they manage to make it back with no other problems.

The sun has set. There is nothing else they can do. The night is full of stress, but with a lot of people now safe, and SABR licking their own wounds (both physically and mentally), they are able to bunk down and contemplate the future of Vallaki.

THE AFTERMATH

The day after the Festival of the Blazing Sun is a somber one as SABR deals with the aftermath, discovering numerous casualties and destruction.

SABR finds the Coffin Makers shop, with the man dead inside. There is a glyph of warding on the stairs and six empty upright coffins in one of the rooms with a blood stained floor. What did they miss?

A quick investigation reveals remnants of a magic circle and a gold-covered pinky bone belonging to St. Andrel stuck in the floorboards.

Using "speak with dead," they learn the Coffin Maker was coerced into his actions, placing the bones of St. Andrel in a place where his killer could get at them. He was promised his life, but they deceived him with false promises of safety.

Father Lucien entrusts SABR with the remaining Bones of St. Andral. He knows Bell and Atropa can make use of them and that those who are actively doing good should be the ones holding the miracles. 

Solomon goes to the bookstore again and asks his friend Yanvich to make copies of his notes on the events of what happened the previous day so that no one in Vallaki is left in the dark on the events.

Atropa takes one of the filers made and copies it to send to Strahd so he can know the full story as well. He is super nervous about a reply.

SABR collectively feels horrible about what happened to Vallaki on their watch and decide it is time to go. They have done enough and the city needs time to recover. The Martikov’s say that they did good, and that they are of course welcome back any time. SABR says they will try to be back before the next moon if they can.

Before leaving, they bid farewell to familiar faces like Blinsky and Andela, exchanging heartfelt goodbyes and promises to return.

They stay at the inn one last night and prepare for domain crossing in the morning.

Atropa confides in Bell about his dilemma regarding what to tell Strahd. He reveals he has been keeping A LOT from him out of fear of upsetting someone, but he has to keep up his part of the deal…

Together they carefully strategize. The only things they will tell Strahd is about Atropa becoming a vampire by Lacomie, the monster in Lake Zarovich along with the Druid sacrificial sites, the scary creature in the woods called the Chort, how they ran into Rahadin down at the lake catching frogs, and will ask what he is looking for from SABR when they get to Mordent.

Atropa hates that idea of keeping so much more from him (Osybus, the amber, Zal’Honen) mostly because of how bad it will be if he finds out on his own… but they have to maintain a balance between transparency and strategic discretion.

Meanwhile, Raisa confides in Solomon about her guilt over the recent events. Solomon tries to reassure her that it probably would have been worse without them, but she isn’t so sure. Fiona wouldn’t have felt as confident with Izek still in the picture…

INTO THE UNKNOWN

The next morning, SABR bids goodbye to the Martikovs and begins their journey towards the forest.

As they walk and discuss their strategy for crossing into Mordent, a caravan unexpectedly pulls up beside them. It's Arabella and her family, grateful for SABR's earlier aid and they offer to escort them safely through the mists to Mordent.

SABR accepts Arabella's offer, and as they traverse the misty crossing, something super strange starts to happen. 

They hear repeated explosions all through the mists, accompanied by flashes of bright purple light.

Right beside their vardo, they watch as Viktor materializes with a scream, is engulfed in a brilliant purple light, and then vanishes again. The cycle repeats over and over.

SABR instinctively moves to intervene, but the Vistani demand they stay in the cart and do nothing. The Mists are not bound by their views of right and wrong.

Even if he sucks for what he did to Stella and Vallaki, they can’t help but feel bad. No one deserves to be eternally trapped like that…

WELCOME TO MORDENT

Eventually, they all get through the Mists and start seeing the outlines of large, old manors. Solomon seems relieved to be home.

They take a ferry across a river, where they meet Mr. Smith, who recognizes Solomon. 

The topic moves to that of the Halloway House in the area, and he warns SABR not to go there. There is a fabled treasure there, but it’s not worth it, as only one has ever come back, but is now in the Sanitorium.

After crossing, they split ways from the Vistani and Solomon begins to explain the difference between Barovia and Mordent.

His home is less dangerous at night, but people don’t really talk about their superstitions, unless it is mutually brought up in a conversation. It can be considered rude and scandalous. Other than that, manners matter a lot.

They catch a stagecoach into Mordentshire and Solomon takes them straight to the tailor. Time to blend in again.

TO THE KULLE ESTATE!

Excited to bring his friends home, Solomon leads them up the hill to his family's estate.

Inside, Solomon's surprised family warmly welcomes him with hugs and relieved tears to see that he isn’t missing or dead after all.. 

SABR is introduced to his siblings: Dulcianna, Hexell, Penelope, and Endaline. Triston lives independently.

Penelope and Raisa instantly bond, sharing a lively, flirtatious energy, and Endaline introduces their basset hound, Princess Cinnabon, to everyone's delight.

Each of them wants to know what happened, but Solomon says he will explain everything in time, wanting to enjoy the reunion.

They keep pressing, and Solomon tells them all that he doesn’t remember. His eldest sister senses something amiss and has them drop it for now out of respect.

They update Solomon on what he has missed recently. Their father is old and requires constant care in the hospital now, rumors about Solomon's disappearance spread like wildfire, and he has a new little nephew to meet eventually as well. 

The group disperses to explore the house.

Atropa talks to Endaline for awhile, much to Solomon’s dismay. He is very adamant that Atropa not try anything with any of his sisters, which Atropa is respecting, but likes messing with Solomon. Raisa is the one getting close to one of his sisters~

The four plan to have a birthday/ welcome home party for Solomon since they have missed so many.

Solomon’s sisters plan a birthday/welcome home party with the help of ABR. He’s going to hate it, it’s going to be great.

While he was gone, Endaline took an interest in Solomon's magical studies, collecting his books in her room. He is touched.

As they spend more time in the house, Solomon says he wants to introduce them to someone else and takes them to meet his grandmother.

Solomon begins speaking to an empty rocking chair, and ABR is shocked to learn that Solomon is able to speak with his dead grandmother. For some reason, he can see and speak to her. 

Solomon asks her what they talked about before he disappeared, but she is unable to tell him anything.

The topic of the Godefroy’s comes up, and Solomon warns SABR of the curse surrounding the family. Tragic deaths and insanity followed them and anyone who dare go near.

Even Solomon refuses to go, and they all wonder if maybe he had and maybe that's why he was killed? Something to look into.

SABR settles in for the night and Raisa opts to bunk with Penelope during their stay in Mordent. (as a totally platonic friend. Sure)

WEATHERMAY-FOXGROVE HERBALIST SHOP

Solomon leads SABER (Endaline is tagging along) to Gen and Lori's herbalist shop in town where they notice the subtle wards and monster deterrents decorating the place.

They voice their concerns to Solomon, who tries to ease them. He’s undead too, they will suffer together if need be. It makes no one feel better.

Inside, Lori Weathermay-Foxgrove greets them but grows serious as she notices As they enter, the group is greeted by Lori Weathermay-Foxgrove who is behind the counter

Her face grows serious, as the mirrors in the room not only reveal Atropa as a vampire, but also that Solomon is undead, that Mara is attached to Bell, and that Raisa has a whole unkindness of ghostly ravens reflected in the mirrors. 

Lori calls for Gen, and they are instantly on edge and pointing weapons at them all, until Solomon is able to convince them of their identities.

After tension eases and introductions are made, Solomon asks if they saw him on the day he disappeared. 

Gen and Lori recall him rushing in and taking an emergency hunting kit from them before mentioning he'd learned something dangerous he couldn’t share. They allowed him into their family’s mausoleum for supplies.

One thing they do know is that Solomon got his strange pocket watch from a grave, the grave of William Blackburn-Bruce that he apparently dug up in Ash Tree Dale.

Upon talking further, SABR is surprised to learn that Gen and Lori have one of the items the Vistani told them about. The Morose Monocle. They say they will see about lending it to them all if they can.

Until then, SABER invites them to the welcome home party they are throwing Solomon. Solomon is surprised by this news but seems touched.

WELCOME HOME

Solomon says he would like to go see his father, and Endaline leads them to Soulbridge Hospital, which is connected to the Sanitorium

His reunion with his parents is emotional for them all.

Solomon gives them both a very brief explanation as to his absence before he promises to be back again soon.

After seeing his father, Solomon takes the group to go see his brother Tristan at his office.

SABR finds that Tristen is very charming and acts incredibly nice, but that there is a weird fakeness to it that they can’t totally understand.

They all agree to have dinner sometime soon…

SABR attracts attention as they walk back towards the Kulle estate as locals approach Solomon, expressing delight and some confusion at seeing him again.

Along the way, they stop at Solomon's older sibling's workplace (how many you got dude?!) who warmly embraces Solomon, admitting he was angry when he thought Solomon had stolen a horse and vanished.

Solomon learns this for the first time and asks if he mentioned anything else that day, but his brother doesn't recall. He promises to join them at the estate later for the celebration.

Back at the estate, Atropa and Endaline prepare a cake for the party.

The morning of the festivities, Atropa brings up his conversation with Bell about what information to give Strahd. 

He shares his draft with the group, and both Raisa and Solomon agree that it covers the necessary points and should suffice.

Solomon's friends and family gather to celebrate his return and it is a lively reunion filled with catching up and laughter.

Afterward, Lori and Gen invite SABR back to their place to talk some more.

THE WEATHERMAY-FOXGROVE’S

When they are alone again, Lori and Gen tell SABR that a rumor was spread about Solomon being a victim of a serial killer. He is surprised but laughs it off. 

They tell him that six murders have occurred in the area, confirmed non-supernatural, so maybe it is true.

Atropa asks the twins if they have any advice of him being a vampire in Mordent, and they mention that the Salbridge Sanitorium draws blood from patients. That may be a good way to avoid biting anyone.

Gen privately pulls Atropa aside and confides in him that she was bitten by a werewolf but hasn't transformed. She lives in fear of it. She understands what it's like to feel like a monster in waiting.

UNCLE GEORGE

BLARGS (lmao) all go to Lori and Gen’s uncle. George is a very charismatic man who is eager to meet all the new faces and to see Solomon again. 

He tells them rumors of strange occurrences he has been hearing about in Dementlieu, and that its domain and Richemulot have somehow merged within the mists.

After much talking and speculating, George says he wants a bit of fun and takes BLARGS out to do some weapons training.

When they talk later, George says he is happy to give them the Monocle but that he wants their help first. He wants a "photograph" of the Tepestian MothMan in exhange.

WEATHERMAY-FOXGROVE FAMILY CRYPT

The family leads SABR down into their family crypt and Solomon finds his missing journal.

The journal mentions a lot of different things, a lot about the BlackBurn Bruce family and the Moornsworths.

There is an Urban Legend about the Moornsworth Graveyard, that new graves are being added all the time despite nobody being buried there and it is perpetually covered in Mist. Dates and names often show up, but they don’t always make much sense.

Solomon has a lot to think about. Was any of this information why the horseman was after him? What had he found out?

MOURNSWORTH CEMETERY 

SABR decides to investigate the Moornsworth Cemetery for clues related to Solomon's findings and takes a carriage there first thing.

Solomon instructs them to look for Mournsworth graves or anything unusual.

The cemetery is larger than expected, shrouded in thick fog with endless rows of graves, so they split up to look around.

Unsettling things seem to be happening around them in the mist, and the duos begin to feel paranoid.

The Wixx duo find themselves surrounded by angel statues, some eerie and others beautiful with strange inscriptions carved into them, and it feels like they can almost hear them being said.

Suddenly, a ghostly figure emerges from one statue, and passes through Atropa and Bell, causing them to pass out.

Solomon and Raisa call out for their friends and eventually find them both unconscious.

Raisa stabilizes them, but Atropa becomes violently ill, vomiting blackish blood.

Concerned, they hastily return to the carriage and head back to Mordentshire as quickly as possible.

WAIT AND SEE...

Both sick, Atropa and Bell are checked over, but everyone is uncertain about the cause of what is making them so ill.

Everyone is baffled when they realize that Atropa may no longer be undead?!? 

Atropa falls unconscious for several days, clearly needing rest.

Hopefully to get Bell more help, she and Raisa go up to visit the Sanatorium. 

Raisa is asked to stay alongside Bell so that while they look over Bell’s illness, they may study Raisa as well. Something seems to be… off about her… just as a person…

Atropa wakes up a few days later feeling groggy, confused, and hungry for more than just blood. Solomon slips him a blood bag he swiped, but Atropa also asks for normal food.

Atropa finds he can still do all of the magic he had before, and then some? What was happening? Was he even a vampire anymore? Nothing was making sense…

Solomon and Atropa decide one day out of boredom that they should start trying to solve some of the smaller mysteries around Mordentshire to fill their days while the girls get treatment. 

SKAW (Solomon Kulle, Atropa Wixx), the Boo Boys are on the case!

------

And that's that for now! I say after so many pages. So. Many. Pages. hnng

Special thanks to @pigeon-princess for encouraging me to make this breakdown, @wintert-ide (Bell) @systemendeavors (Solomon) and @legendlorelibrary (Raisa) for being amazing playmates, @arasdain for being the worlds best DM and putting up with all of our craziness while sneaking his in too, and everyone here in the CoS community for being so wonderful <3

If you have any questions, feel free to ask, but I hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for all of your interest! Makes us all very happy~

I will keep this updated as the story goes on, and I'll add art to spots when it's applicable.

We are on a hiatus right now, but my brain rot is bad and I will not stop obsessing <3

[mundanemugful]

Because I never properly posted him on Tumblr, I'm gonna do it now since I love this pathetic wet rag of a man with everything I am

Below the line is me yelling about my boy Toby and the campaign I played him in

Art is by me, both Procreate and Photoshop!

Toby is a cleric/wizard that lost his memory and the only connection he had was an amulet around his neck, one thought to be a very old symbol of Mystra, the Mother of Magic--so he began worshiping her and studying magic in hopes he could find his identity.

He was my starting character for my D&D group's (currently running) Curse of Strahd game but with some plot craziness (surprise he was Rahadin's lab experiment that was sicced on the party) he and our party NPC were lost to Barovia when the group was forced to plane hop to Lamordia to escape the conflict. This is where I started playing my aasimar light cleric, Niko~

Since Toby's not /dead/, our DM took this chance to make him into a campaign villain and its been a RIDE. Losing a character is never a fun time but he still exists in some capacity and at this point I can't imagine the story going another way-- the fact that he has a connection to Niko (made possible by some WILDLY coincidental character choices for both of them on my part) just cements it for me

[cameronthecryptid]

I used to be a part of a dnd group in a server filled with friends where one of our friends was the DM and we were redoing a game of Curse of Strahd where I was just a redone version of the character I did before with a slightly different character plan in regards to a potential madness spiral that Strahd and his spouses were meant to play on and getting him from the inside. But things happened and me and the group are no longer friends with the DM anymore but I always wonderwhere they were going with my character’s details.

See, my character, named Mac, was a knight of a now long since fallen kingdom that Strahd destroyed all the way backwhen. But the thing was that he was pining for one of the princes of the kingdom who he was good friends with (named Varis), and also a side thing were he was kind of seen as a omen that the kingdom would win in the fight/war against Strahd but through plot fell through. Mac ends up almost dying in an attack when Varis uses magic to not only save him but seal him into a sleep state so that Mac can’t run off and get himself killed again due to his personal burdens. However, because Strahd is trying to kill the who royal family, Varis flees leaving Mac hidden somewhere apparently vowing to return someday. But hundreds of years go by and Mac is awoken through other means but due to his injury being a head injury, he has amnesia and doesn’t know who he is, where he came from, or his origins, only recalling the name Mac and some blurry vivid memories na d just wandered around till the plot called for him and the party.

Through adventures and occasional things in game, Mac starts to feel a sense of familiarity and recognition with various things but doesn’t know why or how. For example in the Death House he finds a book about his since fallen home and recognizes the names of the kingdom and the royal family and Varis specifically, but he doesn’t know why. After leaving and destroying said Death House he wanders around a nearby town to try and think about why these names seem so familiar when he comes across a mysterious stranger who talks to him a little and upon finding that Mac is trying to recall the realm’s history gives him a large book full of the entire history and then disappears. And unfortunately for us all, that’s where it got cut off due to the break up.

I will mention that the plan was that one of Strahd’s spouses Escher looks a bit like Varis and though some shape shifting actually takes on the prince’s appearance because Strahd (somehow) knows about the Mac and Varis situationship and is trying to lure Mac into either madness or into a form of manipulation via having him think that the fake Varis is the real one so that Escher can make Mac do things because of his love for the real one. But also there would be a bit more drama because Escher, who’s grown battered through Strahd’s treatment and obsession with Tatiana, sees how much Mac cares for him under the idea that he IS Varis that he at some point actually falls in love with Mac and so has this whole dilemma of being in love with the “enemy” and feeling bad for having to play and betray him while also knowing that my character the love he is receiving is not actually for him but rather who he pretends to be. Meanwhile Mac is faced with not knowing who he is but knowing that this person before him means everything to him in some way that he can not remember and a sense of shame rooted in both his present amnesiac self not remembering and his subconscious believing that he’s failed the one he loves and swore to protect with his life.

All the while there is no answer as to what happened to or where the real Varis is.

Yes, I made tragic gothic gays^2, and yes, the DM let me do it. But I’ll never know what they were cooking up in terms of making it happen

[thetalesofno-one]

Curse of Strahd, Act I: Pt. 1, Ch. V -Shadow Of Barovia-

D&D Campaign Retelling Part 1/6 Chapter 5/5 ~5.1k words Content Warnings: Curse of Strahd typical content, Read at own risk

Summary Free of the deadman's path, the disparate travelers continue on across the misty lands into the shadow of a ruined village. Barovia. Civilization found, and hopefully answers, unknowing that their troubles have only just begun. Read Previous Chapters also available on AO3

Emet stares at the empty ground where the corpse grew its roots the last they passed this tree. The dirt empty and undisturbed, yet the deadman gone. No footsteps scar the mud, no scrabbling prints of some beast come to claim its rotting meal. And yet the body is gone.

He checked for undeath. His god may have forsaken him, but the remnant of that divine power granted to him when he first took his oath never faded even after all that happened. He felt the power, sensed it in his veins like a presence. A doorway he can still open. One his god did not lock and one Emet would have tried to break down if he did. But he hadn’t needed to. When he called on that power, it answered. And that power sensed no undeath when he used it. The body should still be here. 

Evrrot steps widely over the area to not sully any trail, his cognac eyes sharper than bourbon checking for any sign of what happened. Finding none he sinks an accusing glare into Emet.

“I thought you checked this shit.”

“I did.”

“Clearly not well enough.”

Emet’s lip curls in a half snarl and he turns back to the wagon path. The road stretching on, open now as freely as when they first walked it. No trick, no compulsion to continue circling the deadman’s path, no clawing thoughts at the edge of their minds, urging them to try again, try again. So why did the deadman obsessively run himself into exhaustion? Why continue clawing tallies into trees on a path that went nowhere when he must have crossed the wagon trail forty-three times? What made death by exhaustion a better choice than following this road? Or did the road not exist for him? The trail clearly started and ended where this group’s feet first set foot in the misty forest. Perhaps their arrival carved it into the land like a sign post, guiding them somewhere. Or perhaps it only exists for those it’s meant to exist. But then where else would the deadman have come from? 

Roshan clears his throat though it doesn’t clear the tension in the air.

“I am not the smartest man, but surely the man could not have been this dumb,” Roshan says, confirming Emet’s own thoughts, “Forty-three times.”

“Unless something addled his mind.”

“Maybe he thought he had to,” Evie adds. She looks back at the road that started them on this path and then ahead to wherever it might lead. Glancing at the spot where the body once rotted, her eyes flicker to Emet a moment. She’s the one who knew how he checked, so what does it say to her that he failed? That he is a liar? Or his god?

“Maybe the flaming horseman chased him off the wagon road,” Roshan nods as though that is the only possible answer. He points down the wagon trail, “But this is our only path left now.”

Emet wishes he was wrong—certain the others feel the same way by Evie’s wary look down the road and Evrrot’s scowl—but that may have been the deadman’s wish and look where that got him. Perhaps wishes are dangerous things in this place. 

Evie slips the compass from the pouch on her belt again, setting the bronze device in her palm and giving the needle a moment to settle. Her other hand twists the brooch about her neck, unconsciously mimicking the back and forth movement of the red needle still refusing to find North. Roshan twists his feather in a similar fashion, praying to it like a stick of incense and Emet finds himself absently checking the amber shard lashed to the back of his hand, seeking any guidance that led him this far. But the stone remains dark and empty and the compass needle never finds North. It no longer whirs violently beneath the glass at least.

Evrrot glares at them all.

“What do all of you have?” He narrows his eyes, “What are you playing with?” 

Roshan looks up from his feather, “I told you. It is a blessing from my god.”

Evie quickly drops the brooch, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Just my spell casting focus,” Emet lies, though only partially he supposes.

“Got any spells that can get rid of fog?” Evrrot asks sarcastically.

“Afraid not.”

Then what good are you, the tiefling’s expression seems to ask. Evrrot clearly doesn’t believe any of them and other than perhaps Roshan, Emet knows he and Evie are lying. They all saw each other get pulled into the mist by these trinkets. All except Evrrot who seems to have nothing as far as Emet can tell. So why did he follow?

The glares persist, each person daring the other to question their answers in silent challenge. But the standoff is quickly broken as Roshan starts trying to blow away the fog with his breath, the mist only swirling about lightly. 

Evie smiles dangerously and points a finger at the charmer. Magic infuses her words as she whispers, “I can’t dispel the fog either, but does this make it creepier?”

Her tinted lips move, forming words without sound, her finger still pointed sharply at Evrrot like a dagger. Emet hears nothing, the magic of the message spell stealing away her words and giving them solely to Evrrot. The tiefling flinches suddenly. Emet almost laughs thinking the charmer has never been on the receiving end of a message spell when Evrrot grabs his head and winces painfully, roaring.

“What the hells?! Stop it!”

Evie’s eyes flash wide at the outburst, holding up her hands and ending the spells casting.

“Devil boy, what is the matter with you?” Roshan demands, sounding exactly like a father tired of his son’s dramatics.

“She’s casting spells!”

The initial concern on Evie’s face rolls away with her eyes as she gives Evrrot the ‘done with your shit’ expression of an older sibling realizing their kin reacted to a pat on the shoulder like it was a slap to the face, “It was a joke, man. Chill. No one’s ever been hurt by a message spell.”

“Jokes don’t hurt!”

“Hurt? I did the little sneaky message thing—”

“That wasn’t a little message,” Evrrot mocks, “That was the voice of the damned screaming in my head. I don’t know what you did, but stop casting spells on me.”

“Mate, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Look, I’m not very magical, I can send little messages and I can do this,” she lights up her armor again with the deep bluish light.

Evrrot stabs a finger, still rubbing his head, “Watch her.”

“My magic is very bad, basic at best!” Evie continues, snapping her fingers to summon a small burst of green flame. She double takes a glance at the flickering fires dancing atop her pinched fingertips like she’s never seen such a thing before. “And that’s green now for some reason—” 

A dull whispering voice follows the flame, every ripple of the fire like a whisper from beyond. The green flames dance wildly along her chipped painted nails, more erratic than typical arcane flame. Evie stops talking, staring at the small magical fire with wide kohl painted eyes and a genuine expression of horror. Either this is new and she’s not lying or Emet has sorely misjudged who needs to be watched in this group.

“Okay that’s creepy.” Evie snuffs out the flame.

Roshan eyes her warily, “Did you kill someone in your past life?”

“No!”

“Then this place is haunted.”

Evrrot sweeps an angry finger across everyone again, backing up with his body lightly curled in a fighting stance, hand somehow always near a weapon at any given time with a well practiced ease, “We’ll all playing nice now, but I’m watching each of you. And if anyone stabs me in the back I will not hesitate.”

“Devil boy,” Roshan sighs, “Take the gnarled branch out of your ass. We have to be together for this, okay?”

Evrrot gives him a derisive snort and twists on his heel, the tiefling storming down the wagon road without another word. 

“Follow me,” Roshan sighs, waving to Evie and Emet like a father herding his unruly children after one threw a tantrum.

“We’re all walking in the same direction!” Evrrot growls ahead, “We’re not all following you.”

“Okay, whatever you say, devil boy.”

Roshan grins mischievously before jogging ahead to catch up with Evrrot and irritate him further. Emet sighs and offers Evie a shrug that says, this is our life now, and follows. The half elf groans behind him. It’s a moment before he hears the sound of her heavy platform boots stomping reluctantly behind.

Emet tries not to look back at her. The whispers of her green flames echo dully in his memory, haunting soliloquies at the edge of his mind. They did sound like the dead. Voices distant and stolen away. Here, but leagues apart. The desperate cries of spirits screaming into your ears, yet the fathom between life and death dulls their screams to a barely heard whisper. Words shouted right into your ears, yet too distant to make out.

He wonders if they cling to her too or if her flames merely gave them voice.

The dark woods fall away like words at the end of a page. The tree line breaking apart and stopping with the sharpness that can only come at the edge of an axe. Nature halted by the hand of civilization. Beyond the edge, the lands arms open wide and stretch across a large sweep of grassy valley. Only a ribbon of river bisects the knolls, cutting through the fabric of the fields. Still gloomy and misty, the fog drifts as low as a blanket across the gentle hills. It pours out from gnarled forest behind them like river water over a dam, thinning to the swirling stream dancing over the whispering fields of tall grass. Above, roiling thunder clouds twist and boil the dark skies, choking out whatever sun must hang above into little more than thin grey light.

Sharp jagged mountains pierce their teeth into the skies beyond the shadow of the vale, evergreen trees spilling down the mountainsides and enclosing this valley between sharp stone and needled trees. Snowcaps bleach the jagged grey edges of the stone teeth towering imperiously over the land, the vale swallowed in the maw of some godsbeast. 

And yet it is still a far more welcome sight than the forest behind.

Ahead, sickly yellow grasses and farmland sway in the ever shifting tides of mist and wind, wrapping around the sharp edges of some small settlement hunkered down in the trough of the valley. The pale river cuts past the settlement, the winter blue ribbon reflecting the roiling sky in its crystalline waters. 

And looming high above the settlement, perched at the edge of a sheer mountain cliff, a dark twisted castle, all spires and stone spines sitting alone in silent oppressive watch. A stone beast haunting the cliff’s edge, the village below its hapless prey. A thread of lightning cuts across the dark skies in a flash, casting the keep in sharp shadow and violent light before a sudden swell of thick fog sweeps across the vale in a wave, concealing both castle and settlement from view.

But at least they know that it is there. 

“That place looks pretty nice,” Roshan comments wryly.

Evrrot scoffs, “Yeah compared to here.”

Roshan claps his hands together, “We can all rest up and have a good night’s sleep. And then everyone will be less stressed.”

“Let’s hope it’s not one of those crazy villages where they believe the weather is controlled by sacrifice or some shit,” Evrrot mumbles. “You’d be the first to go.”

“Some gods do like you to sacrifice people, but that is a whole ‘nother thing.” Roshan waves everyone forward, “Come along.”

Emet barely cares where they are going at this point. His stomach stopped its complaining hours ago to settle into a disapproving dull ache and his leaden legs have resigned themselves to swinging forward with each step by momentum alone. It’s only when he stops that Emet feels like he could simply sink into the dirt and never move again. Better to keep trudging along until they find a real bed to rest, lest his body decide the ground is good enough after all. 

He’s not sure how long the others have been on their feet, but more hours have passed since they left the deadman’s trail and he’s guessing they are nearing eight or more hours since the mist swept them into strange lands. He was ready to end the day back in the leaning Daggerford barn, now he is close to collapse. 

The slate grey armor hanging from his shoulders felt like bars of iron back in Daggerford, now they sit like anvils after so many hours. The clothing beneath is soaked entirely between the rain and the sweat, and the black cloak draped over his shoulder hangs as heavy and damp as a wet blanket. If it wasn’t for the constant chill of this place freezing the sodden wear to his skin and the ever present sense of danger prickling at his frayed nerves, Emet would have started drifting off to sleep long ago whether he was on his feet or not.

Evie seems equally exhausted, her arms wrapped around herself and tugging at the short skirt beneath her armor as though she can stretch it out to keep the wind off her exposed legs. She chews at a lip piercing irritatedly, occasionally blowing a strand of fallen hair from her face with a huff. 

Evrrot seems warm however, that charcoal scented leather long coat of his keeping his clothing suitably dry and warm in this winter breeze. Emet wonders absently if his infernal blood warms him as well or if that’s only a rumor. He’s known a few tiefling in his long life, but mostly as clients. Never well enough to venture such a question. And he certainly won’t ask this man lest he give him the fire he needs for warmth through irritation alone.

Misery keeps their company and exhaustion their silence. Only Roshan clings obnoxiously to every fragment of hope this gloomy place spits at them. Where the old man gets his vitality, Emet will never know. The old human looks as weathered as old leather draped in scratchy white cloth—now soaked—but somehow his every step bounces with a spring in it and that near constant smile of his curls up the edges of his salted beard as reliably as the sun rises each day.

Evrrot glares at the old man every few paces with the irritated hatred born from a day that’s gone on for too long and Evie lets slip a small smirk when she thinks no one is looking, but Emet finds his mind drifting to Azem. Roshan’s bouncing gate reminds Emet of the sun elf every time they had set out together on a journey. No matter how long the day or early the morning, Azem always finds a way to brighten it. 

Sun elf and sun god, both so bright.

The muddy wagon path twists ahead of them, rolling across the grassy hills down into small valleys thick with puddles before rippling up again. The land folded and rippled like cloth. And all the while their sodden boots trudge it further still with the hope that the mist doesn’t completely swallow up the village ahead in more than sight. It already devoured their last one after all.

Evie nods toward something off the road, not daring to unwrap the warmth of her arms from around herself to point. “What’s that?” 

All heads swing to where she stares off the trail into the strange mist and the veil of it thins briefly to see a dark weathered stone atop a small knoll.

“Maybe it is a mile marker,” Roshan’s voice betrays the tiredness he is hiding better than the rest, “I will go have a look.”

“I’ll join, shouldn’t be splitting up,” Emet says, not wanting to stand still.

Evie shakes her head, “Don’t worry about it, we should keep going.”

“It is barely 20ft feet away,” Roshan waves his hand at the stone definitely more than 20ft away, “We will be fine.”

“I’m getting bad vibes from this place, let’s not go and explore every weird, creepy thing we come across.”

“Yes, let’s definitely go and together.”

Evie frowns, “That’s not what I said.”

Roshan trudges off path, sweeping aside the tall grasses with Emet in tow. Neither Evie nor Evrrot follow. 

Certainly isn’t a mile marker, Emet thinks as they get closer to the dark stone. The stone is slick with rain and soaked through, but rain-darkened words are carved into its rough surface in the common tongue—a good sign. Emet reads the epitaph chiseled into the gravestone. Rose and Thorn, and beneath the inscription the phrase, Lost to the world, Found in Judgement.

“This is a burial proverb of Kelemvor, yes? The God of Death in our Faerûn?” Roshan asks, kneeling beside the stone and brushing away the grasses already grown long around it. Emet notes the grave marker barely looks as though it has weathered a year. Roshan looks up expectantly at the tall moon elf, but Emet keeps his silence hoping the holy man will mistake it for ignorance and not familiarity. 

The holy man shrugs, “I think it is.”

Before departing the holy man offers a brief blessing, his hand marking the symbol not of Kelemvor, but of Lathander. Emet doesn’t quite remember which domain that god embodies, he never was the most devout in his order. Maybe that’s why things ended up the way they did. But then again, Roshan seems to have an abundance of faith and he’s still here in this mess beside Emet. So maybe the answer is that none of the gods care.

Roshan slaps his knees as he stands, breaking Emet out of his thoughts, “All done, thank you for waiting. We should head back now.”

The two trudge back through thick grass and uneven ground to Evie and Evrrot, the half elf and tiefling watching them carefully and impatiently. Evrrot’s horns drip droplets of water past his shoulders, hair more slick than ever in the wet rain and wetter still for them having made him wait as the rain picks up a little heavier. Emet is half surprised the tiefling didn’t simply leave as he’s so fond of threatening at every occasion. 

Evie just stares past them, out to the stone marker, her mohawk nearly flattened and drooping half way to her armored shoulders. She’d dug a ditch in the mud with her platform boots while waiting, chewing on her darkly tinted lips as though she half expected some terrible thing to burst out of the fog and snatch away Emet and Roshan on their way back. Not out of the realm of possibility, unfortunately.

“It was a just tombstone,” Roshan offers as Evie lifts her head expectantly.

“Ah yeah, nothing creepy about a random tombstone in the middle of nowhere,” she comments.

“You never know, this could have been their favorite hill.”

Evrrot uncrosses his arm, “Alright, you’ve had your fun. Follow me.”

“Of course, devil boy” Roshan grins, “We follow you.”

Devil and holy man walk side by side, already having forgotten Emet and Evie in their unspoken competition. Emet shakes his head and is about to follow when he realizes Evie doesn’t move. She stares off at that grave marker, arms crossed across the wet chainmail on her chest. She barely seems to realize half of them have left.

Evie takes a breath and steps forward, but not toward Emet. She determinedly marches for the gravestone alone. Emet nearly follows, wanting to keep anyone from being alone in this place, but something tells him to hold back. 

Platform boots slipping in the thick wet grasses up the knoll’s side, Evie barely realizes she’s gone to the grave marker before she finds herself standing in front of it. It’s not like she wants to be here, just that…she needs to. Or that she should. She doesn’t know anymore. 

Her eyes trail over the stone’s carving catching on the curl and slant of the ‘R’ in Rose and the sweeping ’T’ in Thorn with a prick of familiarity. She shakes her head and rereads the names and that small sense rewrites itself in her mind as coincidence. Found in Judgement. A familiar proverb from a familiar god. One she’s probably read or said a hundred different times in her twenty-something years. 

A snake curls in her stomach reading it. 

She never really knew how she felt about that phase. Evie knows it’s supposed to be a source of comfort, that the bad will get their due and the good will be absolved and find their eternities in their heavens. But at the same time, it feels like a watchful gaze. A reminder that everything you do, every mistake you make, and every person you disappoint becomes another tally in a book made to immortalize your every sin. A permanent record of every failure that you’ll carry forever…

Evie sighs and quickly makes the symbol of Kelemvor.

Duty fulfilled, she wraps her arms back around herself and trudges back through the mud to where that giant shadow waits for her. She narrows her eyes at him, giving him a look that asks Why are you still here, poncy idiot before angrily stomping past him. He keeps pace, not trailing behind as if he actually remembers she doesn’t want him behind her, and they hurry to catch up with the angry tiefling and the endless well of happiness irritating the ever living shit out of ‘devil boy.’ She almost wants to laugh seeing them both still vying to stay ahead of each other, but it catches in her throat and the sound is all too similar to a sob. She bites it back and keeps walking.

Emet keeps to Evie’s hurried pace, careful not to fall behind.

The ever present mist has thankfully not swept away the settlement like a vision, the tall shapes of stone and wood structures looming within the fog, slowly peeking out between the waves. Mud gives way to slick wet cobblestones beneath their feet and for the first time since the barn, Emet doesn’t feel like he’s in a dream.

Dwellings border either side of the main thoroughfare with windows as empty and dark as the dried broken sockets of a skull. No sound to cut the silence, no light to signal life. Emet has lived through conflicts before in the extraordinarily long life granted to those of elven blood, and the buildings here look like those who have suffered much and been afforded little in the aftermath. Crippled things, wood and stone scarred by blade or claw with glass long shattered and replaced by crooked planks of wood, all leaning against another as though the wall beside it is all that keeps it standing. Remove the one and all will crumble.  

Only the flapping of wings fills the streets as a raven swoops toward them from across the way. The little bird settles, perching with a flutter of black feathers atop an errant railing. It fusses with its wings a moment, a curious shade of blue tipping its silken edges before folding them neatly behind its back. It stares at the group expectantly. 

Evie’s eyes light up a moment when she sees it. The blue-tipped raven caws loudly and stomps its little feet before taking off, following the street toward what must be a town square up ahead. Beyond this lane, the buildings open up a bit more with what appears to be a statue of some kind at its center.

“I think it wants us to follow it,” Evie says.

Roshan squints after the raven as though seeking some sign, “It looks like a normal bird.”

“It cawed when it looked at me though. When you look at most birds, they just…” Evie flutters her hands, mimicking wings taking off.

Roshan gives Evie the same look the others have given him whenever he pulls out that feather of his to seek guidance. Seems the only one allowed to have signs from the gods is the holy man. 

The raven perches on a signpost across the town square, too distant to read from here at the edge of the village. None seem eager to take the first step into unfamiliar territory—and ruined territory at that, the buildings abandoned and dark as far as they can tell. But they all know there is no where else to go. 

“Should we be nice to anyone we come across?” Roshan asks.

“Don’t see why not. They’ve not done anything yet,” Emet’s eyes search the darkened windows, the quiet streets, “If they’re even here.”

Roshan studies the grim group. Weary from the days of travel, edges frayed and nerves short, they all wear a mask of misery. Were this a normal town with streets filled with souls, all would avoid them warily with the grim air about them.

“Maybe you should smile, Emet.”

The words slide between Emet’s ribs with a dagger’s edge and drift down his throat like poppy wine. Both numbing and warm and stealing away the pain long enough to feel the heat blood spilling over his ribs and mistake it for comfort. Memory is held in that painful warmth and he doesn’t hear Roshan’s voice, but Azemir’s. A faint smile, hollow and a ghost of what it once was answers and flickers across Emet’s face before the words turn sharp and he feels the dagger behind the wine. The pain of remembered words once spoken dearly by another soul awaiting his return.

The smiles fades as quickly as it appeared, yet none see the blood.

The holy man moves on, unknowing of the bittersweet blade he buried in Emet’s chest. 

“And maybe you should be happy, Evrrot. Angry devils are usually a very bad thing. Evie, you are fine.”

“Do I not come off as a happy person,” Evrrot comments, face as grim as a gravestone.

“Do I not come off as a miserable person?” Evie asks, affronted.

Roshan grins, “No and no.”

“I’m very cheery,” Evrrot glowers.

“Maybe once you’ve had some food in your stomach.”

“That’s probably the first thing you’ve said that’s made any sense.” Evrrot throws caution to the wind once more and strolls down the street, “Let’s go find an inn and see if you’re right.”

Muddy cobblestones scrape beneath their boots, the sound as loud as horse hooves in this eerie silence. If this place is occupied, there should be at least one or two people in the streets, shouldn’t there? Someone fetching the days errands, or a merchant tending their harvest stand, a kid chasing a dog, anything. But no, hollow as a tomb and quiet as the crypt. Only the wind whispering through the broken glass windows gives voice to this dead village. The swift breeze creaks a few half broken signs with rusted wails.

As they near the square, a beam of light briefly breaks through the darkened clouds and casts a pillar of pale white glow upon the statue. Even freed from the prison of clouds, the sun’s light is choked and faded, sapped of all warmth as it falls upon the figure dominating the square. Carved of old stone, the armored man’s shoulders are chipped and cracked from disrepair, matching the destitution of the village it protects. He holds a blade triumphantly aloft in stark contrast to the loss echoed all around him, a heavily booted foot resting atop the severed head of another man. Fangs jut from the severed head’s mouth, the snarling lips curled back with its jaw hung open at a broken angle. A sign of protection for those who live here and a warning to those with ill intent, but one that rings hollow through the empty shell of ruins. 

The metal of the weatherworn plaque at the base carries the green tinge of aged copper. Deep clawing gouges from some beast cut across the words hammered into the surface, but the name is still legible. 

Ismark Antonavich the Great

Burgomaster of Barovia

Bane of Vampires

618-662 BC

BC? That’s not the common dating notation utilized in Faerûn or anywhere that Emet’s heard of. And Barovia is equally an unknown. Granted, the moon elf isn’t the most well traveled, or even the most well read despite his past, but one glance at the others tells him he is not the only one lost as to when or where any of this is.

Roshan is the first to voice their questions, “What is Barovia?”

“What is BC?” Evie asks.

“Oh, is that strange too? I don’t know the actual years, so I don’t know what it is supposed to be.”

Emet and Evie’s eyes settle on the holy man. Not knowing the day or maybe the month is understandable, but the year?

Evrrot remains fixated on the plaque, “Bane of Vampires…”

Roshan lifts a finger, grinning, “That word I do know.”

“Are there vampires here?” Evrrot wonders.

Emet tilts his head to the shrouded skies where the dim light of sun weakly pours through the heaviest of the storm. Its beam sallow and faint as though the skies themselves suffocate their star. Every day a slow and agonizing breath above the land, a single gasp above the night’s waters before it is dragged below each night into stillness.

“If there aren’t then there were,” he answers. 

Evrrot joins him in squinting up at the skies, the thin beam snuffing out at last as a wave of thick clouds rolls overhead, “It’s certainly ideal if this is the weather every day.”

A shrill caw breaks their conversation, the blue-tipped raven shouting its displeasure at being ignored like a lordling demanding attention. The bird stomps its small feet with little clicking sounds as the talons dance along the top of a wooden post jutting out from the side of a building no more remarkable than any of the others. Though its build and size suggests it may indeed be an inn. A wooden sign hangs precariously from the post by a single chain—the other broken and clinking lightly in the wind—is painted with a once vibrantly green vine dripping in what may be blood or wine. The paint half chipped and cracked by the natural fissures in the wood still bears the name. 

The Blood on the Vine Tavern. 

“Hey, look at that.” Evrrot casts a hand toward the sign, “The raven led us to beer.”

Satisfied its message has been received, the regal raven quickly flutters off into the mist. If Emet were a faithful man, he’d call it a sign.

“Seems your prayers were answered,” Emet murmurs as the tiefling makes his way to the double doors.

NOTES

Thanks so much for reading Part 1! I'm going to be taking a brief hiatus to catch up on some writing and notes, but I will be back. Part 2 will be available on April 23rd, hope to see you then

[skelevenn]

Repostober 14 - Extra Life 2019

The big ridiculous scene that came out of fundraising for Extra Life, which I do along with my office every year. Mostly its peoples' DnD characters (including a few of mine) and a bunch of little sillier additions. This was the second, and final, of these huge scenes lol. I would make a big background and just leave a lot of space for placing characters, which people could pay to slot into. I would start drawing them on our annual stream, but it was obviously too big to finish in a couple-hour time slot, so the work would extend well into December, which was much less fun. Unfortunately none of my other art-related fundraising ideas have been as successful as this, but I just don't have it in me to do it again.

Big old breakdown of characters under the cut! (though I don't remember a lot of names lol)

Starting in the top left, on top of the cliff: Strahd, the titular character from the Curse of Strahd adventure

Two random little monkeys sneaking up on...

Mycall, a little mushroom boy I designed for the previous game I worked on, Crusaders of the Lost Idols.

Bottom left, older lady riding a horse is my grandma!

Big armored half-orc, trying to be stealthy (and convinced he's doing great) was a donor's DnD PC

some kind of elf PC sitting on a lot eatin snacks, with her raven familiar

A little hamster in a racing helmet, having stolen a snack

Sitting on the ground to the right of the half-orc is halfling Penelope, playing by Hope Lavelle. Shes having a teaparty with the tree!

In the foreground sitting on a rock, re-stringing her bow, an air genasi PC.

The dragonborn sitting on a rock roasting marshmellows on her collapsable pole is Orkira, played by Lauren Urban

Giant angel giraffe in the background... is what it is :shrug:

dainty unicorn in the trees!

tiny bb kitten sleeping in front of the fire

big spikey snapping turtle named "Fluffy," and a little trail of babies!

The centerpiece group by the fire is the office Curse of Strahd team, which I was a part of!

left, sadly playing the lute: Morgana, human Bard.

Sitting on the ground with the big book: Bignapor Gampus, gnome Druid.

middle on the log, getting his arm bandaged: Aeofardian, half-elf Rogue.

rightmost on the log, my character Tethys Shadebrooke, water genasi Cleric.

behind them all brooding under a tree: Veshok Wraithmantle, shadar-kai Elf Warlock.

Sitting on the ground at the end of the log wasn't actually a part of that group, but was a "constantly getting way too beat up" Monk PC, so he's sitting in line to see Tethys for healing lol.

ANGY unicorn. specifically donated for after the first unicorn... for contrast, I guess?

The moon is actually an egg a dragon is busting out of! That was the whole prompt, more or less.

very tiny, waaay in the back and added at the end without a donation: the crew for when I was DMing Curse of Strahd. I posted about them a few days ago and they're basically too tiny to make out here haha.

A rogue-styled version of a likeness of a very regular donator named Alan, "negotiating for a suspicious package"

Holding the mysterious package is one of my PCs: Penumbra, tiefling Wizard.

oh and finally, the little glowy bits all over the place are tiny fireflies... but they're also turtles.

[peachfuzz-nygma]

as per anon's request: my dnd character

this is my first campaign and my first character so i've grown very fond of him but in the worst way possible. the campaign we're playing rn is curse of strahd so def some spoilers ahead. and yapping warning also

elidyr (he/him) is a half-elf warlock. since curse of strahd is a gothic horror vampire campaign he is a vampire hunter. his charisma is Extremely high and it shows. alignmentwise he's lawful evil or neutral evil. he's very egotistical. flirts with anything that moves. doesn't think before speaking. no morals really. just a general asshole. the thing is i didn't mean it to go this far. i knew i wanted to start off with a little ego but after the first few sessions i was having too much fun playing the asshole. it's so fun seeing the player's/character's and dm's reaction to his chaos. especially since one of the characters is a paladin so his morals are high. i love seeing his reaction when i do something wild. (ofc good to note that you can play an asshole without them being an actual bigot). but i've grown very fond of him. not love or hate but a third secret thing. there's been so many times where he has been tooooo close to death (like the time i got stabbed so bad that now my guts are fully fucked and i can't do actions in battle without throwing a 12 or higher) and i get sad because he's such a fun character to play and i don't want to lose him

one of my favorite parts about him is his luck in battles WHICH SUCKS. but we always laugh about it afterwards. I KEEP HAVING MY HP AT NEGATIVE?? but characterwise it makes it so fucking funny. having this big ego and then keeps getting beat up. honestly he deserves it (but don't die pls)

our dm mentioned that elidyr's luck reminds her of gotham penguin (honestly her mind. i didn't even know she'd even seen gotham. my brain was so happy about this comment). and i totally agree. elidyr keeps failing but somehow keeps ending up more powerful and more egotistical. also the way pengi jumps on board with anything and everything that benefits him personally even if it went against his other connections is so elidyr

okay lastly i just want to list some of my favorite things about elidyr that has happened in this campaign so far

as a joke we all rolled a d20 for dicksize and ofc i rolled the lowest and it checks out. big ego, small dick

started off by having my eldritch blast come from a hip thrust but now i just forget to do it so i just use my hands

in one battle there was this energy orb type thingy with a baby in the middle. i/elidyr said that we should just kill it. during this we had no idea i was right and we were actually supposed to do that. but everyone was so in shock that he would even suggest that. but characterwise he was the only one in the group who had the guts to do it. so he did kill a baby (but it was like an evil energy)

lady from a tavern telling a rumor about the town having a basement somewhere where you could hear screams from. then she asks is there something she can do for us and i flirtingly answered "do you have a basement where you can scream?"

elidyr eats drugged up pie and sees dreams about kids praising him and wanting to be him and women loving him

my personal want to smash the vampires keeps coming in the way of my character who hates them and wants to kill them

rebels taking over the town and executing the mayor and his family. elidyr was so hyped about this. i wrote in my notes: "they had to pull elidyr away from watching the execution. he was just so hyped. he isn't even pro-revolution, he just likes seeing people die. imagine a fratboy watching the superbowl"

willing to drug a possessed child without letting others know

lasty a picture of this fucker. i really wish i had a pc so i could download the free dragon's dogma character maker. but picrews work really well for dnd characters

[thrumugnyr]

Of course @kat-therines-blog! I didn't think most people would care as it's a very OC specific side quest, but let me elaborate under the cut! (Minor spoilers for Curse of Strahd).

So, our Warlock's patron was one of the entities trapped in the amber temple. He didn't know at the beginning, as he had amnesia ever since he ended up in Barovia.

One of the special powers his patron gave him was the magic missile attack. But it turned out that every time he used it, a tiny part of his soul was ....sucked out of him with it. We only really put 1 and 2 together when it was too late and boom, soul gone. For a while we just went on like this, but of course Barovia is a dangerous place and having one player that you can't revive at all was freaking us out lol

Enter Patataj and his great idea to ask his friend Senna for help. Senna is an Aasimar sun god in training and she's always looking for followers (Patataj is the only one so far, and more in a 'supportive friend' kinda way rather than being an actual devout follower. She helped him escape when he was captured by orcs that one time).

Senna is my DM's character from an other campaign - so obviously she couldn't really be in the game per se, but her and Patataj were in contact through sendings and it was agreed that we could perform a ritual and with enough luck she might be able to rip the warlocks soul away from the being holding it and making her the new patron instead.

We went to the lake in Kresk, where Patataj's connection to Senna was strongest, and did the ritual in there.

Essentially we had to battle some lesser nightmare and other minions and survive for 10 rounds. Sadly, Gunther (the warlock) failed literally all the rolls against those attacks that permanently reduced his HP - and eventually, in the last round, his HP went down to 0 - without Patataj able to heal him back up or anything. And so we lost.

Now Patataj is upset for failing Gunther and he's also cross with Senna for not being able to hold onto the soul (though it is not really her fault at all and deep down he knows that of course).

Meanwhile Rahadin showed up for emotional support and hesitantly admits to Patataj that he was also kind of looking into a similar ritual and is quite pleased to see that it is potentially possible. Though right now he wants to work together with the group to prevent the entity that has Gunthers soul from escaping its prison at the amber temple, which now seems quite likely.

All this while we just try to save Kresk from starving and a werewolf from freezing!! Patataj has a lot on his plate I swear.

[maliro-t]

nat 20, crit fail, prep and tpk!

nat 20: What's the most memorable RP scene you've been a part of?

I know this is technically a question for me as a player but as a DM, there was an exchange with one of my players (in blue) as this little kid NPC (in red) after they'd saved him from a pretty horrible massacre that just went:

"Have you seen people die?"

"Yeah."

"Did you like them too?"

"Yeah. But there's nothing I could do for them. And they're happier where they are now."

"I wish you could be happy too."

"Yeah."

Which just got me real in my feelings about Mr. Mumford and made me real proud of his player :)

crit fail: Have you ever had a character death? What happened?

I personally have not! I think that's in part because the longest campaigns I've been in as a player were only over about 7 or eight months, so I haven't had a ton of opportunity to be thrust into mortal peril. Although I guess you never know lol, especially at lower levels.

prep: How much prep work do you do? How far out do you prep?

I would say it varies session to session, which is probably normal. I've played around with completely homebrewing some shorter sessions, but there honestly isn't a place for that in my work life balance, so I've turned to running published material (namely Curse of Strahd). That takes a lot of the burden of prep off, since I more rarely am designing things from scratch-- although I do my fair share of modification, and there still is plenty of stuff that I have to figure out myself! For most games I will make sure I have the sections that I will need from the book marked out and available, and especially if looks like it's gonna be a sort of open-ended RP game, I'll write out certain guidelines for myself into my campaign notebook so it's easier for me to keep track of things (I also do this for combat, in that I'll usually write a few lines about major figures' goals, if they're relevant, and maybe their first move or two). I try not to prep much beyond what I think will fit in a session (because I frankly don't have time), but sometimes I overestimate, and will end up with notes that last me three sessions. But beyond sort of vague notions of bigger picture building blocks that are moving in the background, I try to only prep stuff I think will be immediately pertinent. And I do trust my improv skills enough where a lot of that will be vague sketching! For example, in CoS there's a festival that's upcoming in one of the major cities, but the book has truly no information about what the festival itself entails beyond sort of a morbid procession, so I went into that game with an opening scene, a vague thought about ring toss, and a vague thought about local card sharks, and just kind of played it by ear from there. And it was one of our most fun games! I do prep a LOT for combat though-- we play on roll20 so I'm cobbling together maps (which usually will take an hour or so depending) and will often times write out entire stat blocks so I don't have to be looking for them. I do use the dnd beyond encounter tracker some of the time, but in big, complicated encounters, I find that can actually make my life extra confusing, so I do a lot of handwriting shit out on paper.

tpk: Have you ever had a game go completely off the rails? TPK? How did you adjust?

I did in fact facilitate a TPK in my current campaign which was !!!! yeah I would say off the rails is putting it mildly! The entire party was slaughtered by dire wolves, which was a random encounter on the way to a completely different objective so. very unexpected. It was one of those games that truly makes you feel insane, and it was almost entirely down to rolls-- I was rolling very well for these wolves (I think I crit 3 or 4 times?) and they were rolling extremely poorly. It was honestly easier for me that everyone went out than just a few people, because it meant that I could make on the fly decisions for the group and no one had to sit out the rest of the session. So, once the last person went down I gave everyone a kind of solo limbo vignette where we zeroed in on some character/backstory stuff for each of them, just to kind of settle everyone (which was really fun to do, especially since there's a lot they don't know about each other's histories, some more than others), and took a five minute recess to figure out what to do next-- I was lucky that unbeknownst to the party, they were on their way to knock on the door of a hag coven, who had their own reasons to want them alive, so I ended up having them all wake up as their captives. Congrats, you made it to where you were going! Sorry, you're still fucked! And THAT ended up being one of the most fun, intense encounters we've run. And I certainly am weaving some threads in the background about how exactly they survived and what the long-term consequences of that are.

[octocat-pentacles]

(???) mage Anciano. Part of a set of oracle card style illustrations.

[mr-leach]

Curse of Strahd Ask Meme Part 5

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Original Post by @mandisawesome​

/// SPOILERS AHEAD! ///

Nothing too spoiler heavy but just in case you’re really sensitive to spoilers and you haven’t reached the Old Windmill in your campaign yet, maybe skip this part!

Question 5: Did your party travel with any NPCs?

This one’s probably not a surprise, but we did spend some time traveling with Ismark, seeing as we were asked so nicely to protect him, and all. Of course, none of our characters actually knew each other apart from having barely survived the Death House together, and the four of them weren’t exactly in agreement that they were, indeed, fit for the job in question. Still, they all agreed that someone should protect Ismark on his way to Vallaki, and if they were really the best candidates Ireena could find, then they couldn’t exactly say no.

They didn’t exactly win over Izzy’s confidence for a while (I still laugh when I remember when, some ways into the campaign, Sy blurted out something like “Can you believe we’ve all only known each other for a week?” and Ismark immediately spit out his drink like “YOU DIDn’T KNOW EACH OTHER BEFORE!?”) but at least he’s learning new things about himself, like how to use wizard spells, and how his disinterest in marriage so far might have just be a lack of attraction to women overall, and how WOW, maybe traveling away from home with a group of pretty men/masculine adventurers might not be so bad, actually.

Next: it was only for a short while, but boy did we ever cherish the time our party was able to travel with the adorable Lucian, the little boy we managed to rescue from being eaten by hags and having his bones ground into flour and baked into dream pies. All things considered, he was pretty calm about the whole thing! Mostly grateful to not be made into pie or taken back to his pie addicted parents.

Cinaed came out of his traumatized daze eventually. For now, Lucian is staying at the orphanage in Vallaki, where the party (especially Sy) makes sure to visit him often.

Now I mentioned them earlier but we did indeed steal a twink and we are keeping them forever. Sylras has been an irreplaceable member of our party for a good while now, and even though the party’s efforts to gently teach them how to navigate their emotions and learn right from wrong have been.......well, sub optimal, they seem to like us, so we’ll call that a win.

Seriously need to teach them about self preservation more, though. That or get a kiddie leash for them, or something.

Also worth mentioning is Dolly, who spent a very brief stint as Cinaed’s animal companion. He is a bumblebee bat, and thus Extremely Tiny. Cinaed made him his own bat box to go on our wagon and everything.

“But Leach,” I hear you ask, “why in the world would you trust a bat to travel with your party!? This is Curse of Strahd!!” Well, the answer to that is: Cinaed literally had brain damage when he invited a little injured bat to stay with us. There was an explosion and Cinaed managed to let his temporary amnesia go unnoticed for several hours. By the time anyone reminded him that it was a bad idea to just invite a bat into our wagon for the night, the damage was done. So the party let Schrödinger's bat stay and we all huddled into Dorian’s Tiny Hut for the night just in case Dolly tried to kill us. 

He didn’t, and we figured that was evidence enough to exonerate the little fella.

We were wrong, and Dolly stole our shit at the first opportunity, the wee little bastard. Suffice to say the next time we see him Dolly will be punted on sight.

[phi8]

A good friend of mine and I are participating in an unsanctioned version of Adventurer's League at our local game store, the Ravenloft: Mist Hunters season!

Until now, whenever we've played D&D together, I was always his DM (he plays Xithrel in the Planeswalker Campaign), so for the occasion, we wanted to create our characters together. After deciding on our dynamic, a K and J from Men in Black kind of situation with a cleric and paladin, we dove into the lore for Ravenloft, and the Ulmist Inquisition was the perfect religious organisation to be attached to. Since the Ulmist Inquisitors are psionic we both took the Githzerai race and reflavored it as human.

My friends' character is Cpl. Alexander of the Sword Corps. A Crown Paladin, with a focus on a compelled duel based fighting style. His ancestors were from Falkovnia, but he grew up as part of a group of refugees living in Barovia (where he was recruited by my character). Alexander is the young realist of the pair.

My character is Sgt. Radrik Wachter of the Mindfire Corps. An Order Cleric, using his telepathy to help allies and enchant enemies alike. He is a cousin of Fiona Wachter from Vallaki in Barovia. When he found out about her alliance with Strahd, he discovered the history of Ulmed and the Inquisition, and was able to join them. That was years ago, now he's the stuck-in-his-ways veteran who's seen it all. I've played through Curse of Strahd, so this allows me to use a little meta knowledge as Radrik too.

This art is based on the Ulmist Inquisitor illustrations in Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft

[colorousme]

omg WHO is this mythias

He is my son, my guy, my dude, my boy, my player character in the Curse of Strahd campaign my friend runs in D&D for our group :>

He's an Elf Druid, has ADHD(-i) and also lost most of his memory up till the last 5 years (and since he's an elf, that means he's missing about... 168 years of his life). He became an Archeologist to search for clues as to how he lost his memories, which is why I dressed him like bootleg Indiana Jones :’) He likes puns, is addicted to dream pies (but recovering with the help of our cleric) and also has a very, very cursed staff.

[I guess spoilers for Curse of Strahd] The premise of the Curse of Strahd is that you and your party get caught in a heavy mist that transports you to Barovia, the land controlled by Count Strahd, the BBEG. This happened to our party and ever since, we've been trying to find our way out but it's become clear to us that the only way out is to uh.. get rid of Strahd basically. Unfortunately he is very powerful and very evil and we are but level 6 characters right now.

Anyway, a couple sessions ago we ran into someone (or she ran into us I should say) who recognised my guy Mythias under a different name! And I recognised her but only from some dreams I had, in which we uh.. held hands and danced together 😳 Anyway, here we meet her, her name is Ezmeralda and I love her so much:

Turns out my boy is from here, and not from Faerûn (regular D&D dimension) like the others! Once she’s calmed down, Ezmeralda tells me my backstory: I was born here, raised in an Elven druid commune, shielded from the rest of Barovia and most of Strahd’s influence. But as I grew up I grew restless and wanted to know what was out there, so I became an adventurer. I left the commune and saw the horrors of the land firsthand. I met a group of adventurers who’d been brought here through the mist, befriended them and became a part of their party. Then Ezmeralda met us and the two of us... fell in love. She didn’t mention that last part, but Mythias told her about one of the dreams he had and held her hand to illustrate what he saw and she... held his hand back! So there are still some left over feelings between the two of them and it’s been making me go insane for the past 3 months sjakdhflkjhsd

She also told me how we had tried to sneak into Strahd’s castle, but the mission went severely awry and one by one our party members fell, struck down by the monsters we were fighting and when she saw me go down as well, Ezmeralda managed to drag me and herself out of there, aided by an invisibility potion. She stole a carriage and fled with her unconscious friend and lover, leaving the others behind unable to save them all. She got to the mist barrier and, because of her lineage, passed through it into Faerûn and got me to a hospital, paid for all expenses and left to go back to Barovia. I woke up who knows how long after that with absolutely zero memory of what happened or who I was and decided to name myself Mythias, because that was the only name I could think of at the time. When I told her my name was Mythias during our first encounter since I came back to Barovia, she laughed at my face and went ‘Oh, you’re Mythias? Hon, that’s your father!’ so I guess we now know where he got the name :’) 

And uh, turns out Ezmeralda had something else she needed to tell him:

UUHHHH!!

So turns out I have a son :') His name is Dendrias, shortened to Denny, he's a 4,5 year old Half-Elf and I met him during our last session and I love him so much 🥺😭 Ezmeralda took us to the hidden commune so I could meet my dad, and my uncle and my little boy. All of em are druids and I feel very at home here.

Unfortunately that puts me in a very difficult position, because now I’m going to have to choose to either stay and take care of my son or to leave again to finish what we started!

And that’s where we are now and I’ve been poring myself over this dilemma for the past couple of weeks haha *sweats*

PS. For all non-Dutchies out there I put an English translation for each picture in their respective Alt-text.

Was this one the last straw be honest:

[gardensandtaverns]

When Players Commit to the Bit

My last post talked a little about player buy-in, and its impact. Again, as far as game design goes, my experience is limited to personal experience playing games and the experience I have as a Game Master for tabletop RPGs, but especially in those varieties of fiction, player buy-in matters. I'm going to address two particular games where this made all the difference.

To start with a group of players that has really knocked my socks off, I'll tell this first story from the players' perspective, as I was one in this rare occurrence. Any D&D5e veteran knows that the system was built for medieval power fantasy; the existence of the spell fireball is enough justification on its own, but should you need a few additional examples from a DM's perspective:

The 1st-level spell heroism completely negates the frightened condition, regardless of its source, and is available to any divine caster at 1st level. At higher levels this is the solution to fear effects from creatures like dragons, who often have DCs that creatures lacking the appropriate save proficiency could never succeed on.

The game itself has a terrible exploration and social interaction system, just look at the memes. There's a reason the homebrew community is so strong when it comes to additional or revamped mechanics.

The game also has a terrible inability to run Battle of Helm's Deep-esque situations because it is precariously balanced in the system of action economy - assuming that players will always be up against enemy groups of similar size and strength to their own.

This problem is further exhausted when specific genres, like horror or survival, come up. That's because, again, the game is balanced in the player's favor by default. Nothing should be scary until it is a definite loss for the party. Not to mention numerous background features and low-level spells immediately negate the concern of finding food, water, or medicine - as well as treating diseases and poisons.

So, dear reader, you may find it interesting when I say that my favorite experience as a player was in a modified version of the Curse of Strahd module. Curse of Strahd is a survival and gothic horror module that was heavily influenced by Bram Stoker's Dracula, for those unfamiliar. As I've already stated, the system of D&D5e is not well-suited to these types of challenges without using tactics that severely cripple players and their abilities. However, in a combination of excellence on the Game Master's part and the buy-in of all of the players, this game has been one hell of an experience.

Not only did every player come to the table with a self-motivated and layered, perhaps even somewhat corrupted, motivation - but those motives and characters have been well-played by the players in response to the appropriate types and levels of pressure applied by the DM, both on the characters in fiction but also on the players at the table. Every session ends in a cliffhanger, which only helps preserve the mindset from week to week of being in the game.

We also are tolerant, as a group, to making less-than-ideal decisions. Our characters may flee, even if nothing mechanically compels them to do so. They may make hasty decisions, or even evil things, and the characters themselves may create and relieve tensions throughout the group. Curse of Strahd has become gothic horror done right in D&D with this group because we as players let ourselves be afraid, be invested in our character's survival, and follow a narrative that is always changing and reacting.

Not quite in contrast, but certainly from another angle, I have had my best experiences and pride in my work as a DM when my players truly invest themselves in the world and connect with it. In my most recent, and possibly last ever, 5e campaign I had built a world that was embroiled in a continental war, specifically over the use of magic. At the outset of the game, I informed my players that this conflict had gone on for quite a long time, with many tenuous peace treaties over the decades, so the nation of origin for these characters would vastly influence how they perceived the world, due to various levels of propaganda, so they would have to choose together what nation they were loyal to, though that loyalty could change over the course of the campaign. The final composition of the party was a cloistered cleric, who would have had little opinion were it not for a raid on their church; a soldier, who deserted after being hunted for breaking laws regarding the use of magic in an attempt to save their ill father; a commoner, who knew little of the outside world but had grown up in a nation where the use of magic was free and unrestricted; and an ex-assassin, who had served in the interests of that same nation of free use of magic until they fell in love with a political target of a rival nation.

Now, they did not find their loyalties to change over the course of the campaign, but the beauty in this story was that none of the characters died (except for the time the wizard decided against the clear indication that this was a death wish to proceed). The players themselves asked for death to be uncommon and meaningful, and I was happy to comply. What this required me to do as a Game Master, however, was to find other means of motivating the party to action, as few of them had a moral or personal obligation to take any side in this war. For this, I used two strategies:

Threats to Security. I used the proximity of their home to contested territories to motivate their actions to protect their sense of security. Not only were some missions mandatory service, assigned by the local legislature, but there were also night raids from across the border that directly threatened the characters, and those they wished to protect. Which brings us to

Exploiting Relationships. I also used the NPCs the party cared about, most famously the two children of their patron, to drive direction and urgency in the narrative. In retrospect I used kids in general a lot to pull at heartstrings, but so does UNICEF and a number of other relief organizations.

To the players' credit, they went all-in and there were not only excellent inter-party relationships, but various party members had differing opinions on the societal needs in the future that were derived from their experiences and the NPCs they were most involved with by the end of the campaign.

I can't say I have a great way to close this one other than saying that sure, this is my experience and ymmv, but player buy-in can make a massive difference in gameplay and the options available to a designer to make a truly immersive and memorable experience.