01 Welcome to Barovia

Here is the summary of the session based on the provided transcript, using the requested format and in Spanish from Spain.

Session Title: The Fog’s Threshold

PCs present:

• Pulgar “Bigtoe”
• Ceres
• Broseph
• Lorna (Referred to as the druid/Dewdrop in the transcript)
• Renoir (The bard, played by Nacho)

NPCs present:

• None physically present in real-time, but mentioned in flashbacks or references: Madame Eva, Durst Family, Stanimir (referred to as Estanimir/Talimira), Strahd.

Locations:

• Barovia (The entrance road and gates).

Main Events and Loose Ends

The group spends a significant portion of the time reminiscing about who they were before arriving in these cursed lands, establishing their backgrounds and personal motivations. It is confirmed that they have leveled up after surviving the “House of Death” (Durst House), although they have emerged with mental and physical sequelae (Pulgar has aged 30 years and has a white streak). After being stripped of much of their equipment by the Vistani, they advance along the only possible westward path. The main landmark is crossing the Gates of Barovia; immense iron gates that open on their own as they pass and slam shut behind them with a deafening roar, leaving them trapped in the valley with Castle Ravenloft in the distance.

Session Loose Ends

• Pulgar’s Curse: The dwarf has magically aged 30 years. It is unknown if this is reversible or if it will have further consequences.
• The Shepherd Wolves: A pack of wolves has followed the group from the house to the gates without attacking, behaving like sheepdogs guiding a flock. Their exact purpose or who controls them is unknown.
• The Stolen Equipment: The Vistani stole Pulgar’s amulet and much of the group’s equipment after getting them drunk. Recovering their belongings remains a pending motivation.
• The Tarokka Deck: Renoir discovers he has the deck in his pocket, which now acts as his arcane focus. His connection to the destiny or magic of this place is yet to be explained.

Session Joke

During the tense inspection of the gigantic and ancient Gates of Barovia, which magically open without anyone pushing them, Pulgar breaks the atmosphere of terror with his dwarven pragmatism. While the others worry about dark magic or the decapitated heads of the statues, the dwarf complains about the “human manufacturing,” criticizing the lack of a proper hydraulic system or decent levers, attributing the creaking and state of the gate to poor engineering rather than a supernatural curse.

Scene 1: Echoes of a Former Life

PCs present: Pulgar, Ceres, Broseph, Lorna, Renoir. NPCs present: Stanimir (Mentioned in flashback, Vistani leader, storyteller). Location: The road to Barovia (and flashbacks to the Vistani camp and Faerûn). Loot obtained:

• Tarokka Deck (Discovered in Renoir’s pocket, functions as an arcane focus).

Scene Summary: The DM prompts the players to recall their origins and how they arrived there. It is revealed that Pulgar is a jeweler turned thief seeking a stolen masterpiece; Lorna is a druid sold by her parents to a hermit; Ceres is a cleric of Chauntea who was burned alive and resurrected by her deity; and Broseph is a former guard from Waterdeep who fled after discovering a conspiracy. Renoir, the bard, has changed his stage name to “Renoir of the Forgotten” and has begun writing obsessively. The night with the Vistani is recalled, where Stanimir told the story of a cursed prince (Strahd) and how the Vistani have permission to enter and leave his lands, asking the adventurers to break their lord’s curse. It is also mentioned that they possess the deeds to a mill.

Scene 2: The Path of Wolves

PCs present: Pulgar, Ceres, Broseph, Lorna, Renoir. NPCs present: None (Only local fauna). Location: A dark and muddy dirt road surrounded by a dense, foggy forest. Loot obtained: None.

Scene Summary: The group travels for about five hours through an oppressive environment. The sky is leaden gray, there is a constant drizzle, and the sun is not visible. Broseph’s passive perception and the others’ instincts notice they are being followed by wolves. However, the animals do not attack; they stay at the edge of the forest, watching. Pulgar comments that they remind him of the sheepdogs from his homeland, suggesting they are guiding or “herding” them towards a specific destination rather than hunting them. The atmosphere is depressing and unnatural.

Scene 3: The Gates of Desolation

PCs present: Pulgar, Ceres, Broseph, Lorna, Renoir. NPCs present: None. (Statues of decapitated guardians - Archetype: Silent Guardians / Harbinger of Death). Location: The Gates of Barovia (Stone wall with rusted iron gates). Loot obtained: None.

Scene Summary: The road ends at immense iron gates flanked by stone statues whose heads lie decapitated on the ground. As they approach, the gates creak and open on their own, inviting them to pass. Ceres tries to track footprints but finds no sign of recent human passage, only animals. Pulgar inspects the stone and metal, noting the antiquity and disrepair, although the gates show signs of recent use. The group, with no other option given that the fog behind them is impenetrable, crosses the threshold. As soon as they do, the gates slam shut violently behind them with a metallic roar. The fog momentarily dissipates to reveal the towers of Castle Ravenloft in the distance, confirming they have entered a prison from which they may not be able to escape.