06 The Flight to Vallaki

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Session Title: The Flight to Vallaki and the Awakening of Bones

PCs present: Broseph, Erdan, Pulgar, Ceres, Feyre, Ladril Gabriel (Sir Gabriel), Nacho (Renoir of the Woods). NPCs present: Irena, Sergeant Andre, Urrich, Burgomaster’s Guard, Yelena and Gunter Arasek. Main Developments and Loose Ends:

• The group has split up. Feyre, Pulgar, Ceres, and Sir Gabriel have managed to reach the walled city (palisade) of Vallaki and reunite at the Blue Water Inn. They have reached level 4.
• Broseph, Erdan, and Nacho are trapped in Castle Ravenloft. They have discovered secret passages, sent a distress message, and barely survived an ambush by undead. They have leveled up to 4 after resting in the banquet hall.
• Irena is under the “hospitality” of the Burgomaster of Vallaki, guarded by beast-like guards.

Unexplained or Loose Ends Requiring Follow-up:

• Will Erdan’s messenger crow reach its allies, or will it be intercepted by the giant bats that were following it?
• Who recently destroyed the stone cabin in the mountains? (It smelled of recent smoke and destruction).
• Why does the Burgomaster of Vallaki’s guard have a disproportionately large hand that looks like a claw with sharp nails?
• What does Strahd plan now that Irena is in Vallaki and part of the group is in his castle?
• Rictavio’s traveling circus wagon in the Vallaki stables, which is heavily chained shut.

Session Gag: The best gag arose organically during the wagon’s escape. When the horse pulling the wagon was bitten by a wolf and fell to the ground, nearly dead, Ceres (Paloma) had to make an Animal Handling roll to avoid running it over. With a high roll, aided by her proficiency, the GM (Nemo) described how she made a spectacular skid to avoid it, dubbing her “the Carlos Sainz of swamps and dungeons.” The table joked about her “drifting” ability with a heavy wagon in the middle of mud and rain.

Scene 1: The Organ and the Messenger

PCs present: Broseph, Erdan, Nacho. NPCs present: None physically. Locations: Castle Ravenloft (Banquet Hall K10, Corridor K11, Mirror Room). Loot obtained: None.

Scene Summary: Broseph, Erdan, and Nacho find themselves trapped in Strahd’s banquet hall after his departure. While investigating the room, Broseph notices claw marks on the floor next to the grand organ. Nacho, using his Bardic Inspiration, plays a few keys and discovers a pedal that moves the organ, revealing a secret passage. The passage leads to a defensive corridor with arrow slits and a multitude of mirrors of various sizes. Erdan uses one of the arrow slits to send his familiar (a raven) with a message tied to its leg, warning his companions that they are trapped and will attempt to escape. Nacho warns that the raven is being followed by giant bats in the night.

Scene 2: Refuge in Vallaki and the Claw Guard

PCs present: Feyre. NPCs present:

• Irena (Adopted, knows nothing of her origins, lived in confinement. Archetype: Survivor/Persecuted Damsel).
• Sergeant Andre (Disciplined. Archetype: Loyal Guard).
• Urrich (Kind, empathetic. Archetype: Welcoming Innkeeper).
• Burgomaster’s Guard (Nearly 2 meters tall, plate armor, wolf skin cloak, bald, dark circles under eyes, huge claw-shaped gloved hand. Archetype: Intimidating Thug/Hidden Monster). Locations: Vallaki (Streets, Blue Water Inn, Burgomaster’s Mansion). Loot obtained: A free room for one night.

Scene Summary: Feyre (in horse form and then human) arrives at the gates of Vallaki with Irena. They enter just as the city closes its massive iron gates for the night. Irena confesses to Feyre that her father died 8 days ago, that she is adopted, and that Strahd bit her twice after using mental powers. They are taken to the Blue Water Inn, where they observe a tense but lively atmosphere with wolf hunters and locals. Soon, Sergeant Andre returns and escorts Irena to the Burgomaster’s mansion. Feyre tries to accompany her but is left waiting in a reception room filled with strange bundles of twigs. A huge and terrifying guard, whose hand resembles a claw, informs Feyre that her services are no longer required. Feyre returns to the inn, where the innkeeper Urrich takes pity on her when he sees she has no money and gives her a free bed.

Scene 3: Drifts, Wolves, and Closed Gates

PCs present: Pulgar, Ceres, Ladril Gabriel (Alvaro). NPCs present: Vallaki Guards. Locations: Barovian Forest and Road, Smoldering Ruins, Vallaki Gates. Loot obtained: None.

Scene Summary: Pulgar’s group, Ceres and Sir Gabriel, desperately flee in their wagon from Strahd’s horde of bats. Although they elude the bats, they fall into an ambush by terrible wolves. A wolf attacks one of the horses, leaving it at 1 hit point and knocking it down. Sir Gabriel cuts the reins, and Ceres executes a masterful driving maneuver to avoid overturning the wagon. They escape on foot in the torrential rain, passing by the smoldering ruins of a recently destroyed stone cabin. Upon reaching the gates of Vallaki at night, the guards, with dozens of wolf heads impaled around them, deny them entry due to strict orders from the Burgomaster. They spend the night taking refuge in the wagon outside the palisade. At dawn, they enter the city, negotiate at the Arasek stables, and reunite with Feyre at the inn.

Scene 4: The Barracks Trap

PCs present: Broseph, Erdan, Nacho. NPCs present: Skeletons (Clean bones imbued with residual necromancy. Archetype: Undead Minions). Locations: Castle Ravenloft (Spiral Staircase and Underground Barracks K68/K69). Loot obtained: A rusty shortsword (Erdan).

Scene Summary: Searching for an exit, those trapped in Ravenloft burn some cobwebs and descend a spiral staircase into ancient, frigid barracks filled with rotten cots and old bones. While Erdan distractedly investigates the remains of a small skeleton in a cubicle, the castle’s necromantic magic activates. Eight skeletons rise suddenly, surrounding Erdan. A tactical combat erupts in the narrow corridor. Erdan falls unconscious and bleeds profusely under the blows of the undead. Broseph uses his accelerated magic missiles and fire bolts, while Nacho tanks in the front with his silvered rapier and manages to heal Erdan just in time to prevent his death. After destroying the last skeleton with necrotic damage and projectiles, the battered group decides to flee the barracks back to the banquet hall to rest. After the night, they reach level 4.