The Boy and Yaedrag
Curse of Strahd = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Session 50 – 2022-03-12
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Session Summary
The boy that we saved, at the end of the last session, was awake and Rinn spoke up to explain that we were helping him. That he had fallen through the lake and was barely hanging on while a winter wolf looked as if it was trying to pull him out of the lake. Haldar put down one of the wolves very quickly. A second wolf ran up and asked us to stop. Yes, a wolf talked and told us they were trying to save you and that we should not get involved. While they were talking, Dain made his way across the lake, closer to about halfway to him. That’s when all Haldar broke loose. Within a few moments all the wolves were dead and Dain, Haldar and Rinn were attempting to pull him from the lake. He had sunken under the water, but Haldar jumped in and pulled him to the surface. Dain had gotten a rope out to him, and he tied the boy off. We pulled hm in and pulled n Haldar and made our way back to the shore where we warmed the boy. Kyanna revived him and Dain cured the poison running through his veins. Then we dried Haldar and the boy and warmed them up.
We asked who we were. Rinn introduced himself and his companions. He told the boy the story of what we found when we got to the lake and how we were pushed into a battle with Winter Wolves on the lake who prevented us from moving in to help save him from drowning. In the end, we did defeat them only to see him sink under the surface. Haldar jumped in and Dain got a rope out to the hole. When Haldar came back up with him, he tied him off to the rope and we pulled him and Haldar out of the lake. We were able to remove the poison that was infecting his body and revive him. The boy recalled seeing wolves that circled his camp and one large wolf with a long scorpion’s tail. Everyone went down. Its tail would strike them, and they would go down. He was scared and ran. He was a young man from the village, Yaedrag. His name is Kaldar. He asked about his companions we had to tell him that they were all dead. He let us know that one was his mother.
The conversation went sideways here as Rinn pointed out that a wolf with a scorpions tail almost sounds like something the Abbott would have created. We eventually got back onto topic. He looked around at us and spotted Misty. She caught his attention as he wondered what she was. She explained and we helped by telling him she likes to take things that aren’t nailed down. Actually, I don’t know if that was helpful or not. This conversation takes place while we all eat, including Kaldar. We ask where he is from, and he again tells us Yaedrag. He recognized where we were and told us that we were only about 30 minutes from his village. His father is the chief of the tribe. We decide to take time to skin the wolves here and then take the pelts back with us to his village. Snoggly mentioned that we might ought to do that skinning now as the Roc might swoop in and take the carcasses while before we get them skinned. Kaldar recognized the animal we were referring to. He told us that the Roc prefers to hunt and capture its own food fresh. It wouldn’t be interested in these carcasses. We thought about going back to the camp where the attack took place but that’s a couple of hours away. We skinned the wolves and set out for Yaedrag.
As we travel, we move through some ancient ruins, old buildings that are collapsed. Kaldar tells us that as we move towards the Tsolenka Pass, we come across more of these. He’s never been beyond that but has heard that there are even some beyond that. Snoggly asked if he had seen a Vistani woman in the area recently. We told him her name was Ezmerelda. He told us that he had seen her, maybe three days ago, down in the foothills. He confirmed that she was there and Zukeika as well. They had join Kaldars group for a meal and then headed North. We eventually come to an area that looks like it was a shrine at one time with a frozen waterfall for a backdrop. Moved to the waterfall and called out. A large man came out from behind the waterfall. They hugged and talked quietly. Eventually the big man looked out at us and nodded and Kaldar motioned us to come forward. They guided us behind the waterfall to a tunnel and through it. At the other end is a door. Kaldar performs a special knock. Rinn made a mental note of this. After the knock, he shouted something. The door opened from the other side.
On the other side we get to an enclosed, well lit, and warm chamber. There are conical tents, and fires all about. Kaldar took us to the main tent which is the home of the Chief. The Chief was a little taken aback by our presence. Kaldar explained what had happened, about the attack on his camp, about our saving him from the wolves later and reviving him. He is upset at the loss of his wife but as a hunter, these things happen. It is the way of things. They are a village of barbarian like people. This whole area was once a trading post for Argynvosthold. They relied the mountain folk for guidance through the dangerous conditions of the mountain. Snoggly let him know that we were responsible for returning the light to Argynvosthold. The Chief asked how we did that. We told him about how we killed Baba Lysaga to get the skull of Argynvost and returned it to it’s rightful place. We also told him about clearing out the druids as well.
Yaedrag is a small village with only about a hundred people. They are isolated here and know a little about the druids on Yesterhill as they have a common background. He tells us that long ago, the mountain folk consisted of hunter and warrior tribes. They worshipped the Rozana, or the Ladies Three. When the druid tribe betrayed the Rozana and schismed from the others to serve Strahd, the other tribes retreated to the mountains to escape the wrath of the Shadowsworn. Shadowsworn would be, whom we call, Strahd Von-Zarovich. We verified that like us, they don’t like Strahd. They mostly trade through barter, not so much with gold, but with gems stones and furs. He asked if we were enemies of Strahd as well, which we let him know that we are. As we start to tell hi8m a little of our plans, he has Kaldar leave the tent.
It was at this time that we told him of our ultimate destination. The Amber temple, or vault, which houses the Sun Sword. We seek that as we believe it holds the key to the destruction of the Shadowsworn. We asked if he had a problem with that. He told us we would need a guide. We pointed out Kassamir, that he is our guide. The Chief didn’t seem to like Kassamir as he is a Dusk Elf. After a long stair down, he finally seemed to accept that Kassamir was alright. He told us we were free to look around the village. He suggested that if we thought we needed a guide or more information, we should talk to Elder Ormir. He is the wisest of the tribe and may be able to provide us with some more current information. He tells us that they don’t know much about the place but that, as a right of passage, young men would travel there and spend a few nights, in the most exterior area within the temple. It’s a test of metal and courage. Some of them don’t come back. Snoggly moved subject to Ezmerelda and asked if they had seen her or Zukeika. He had not seen her. We sought to trade the furs for warmer clothing. He told us the best place to go for that. Kaldar escorts us to Elder Ormir.
Ormir is an old man, a leader among the mountain folk. The Chief introduces us to each other and leaves us. Kaldar stays with us. Ormir can tell us where the Amber Temple is, and proceeds to do so. He tells us again of the tests that their young men must endure there. Kassamir and he discuss the location and the best path there. We learn that it will go from a road to what will basically be a rock crawl at some point. It’s a very dangerous trip and the cold makes it even more so. He tells us there is a sort of secret passage or opening in the outer wall which is how the young men get in and out. They’ll spend the night and they’ve reported hearing voices in their heads, strange sounds from within the temple, cries, wailings, and sounds of arcane power. The worst things is that the voices in their head seem to be beckoning them deeper into the temple. There have been sighting of an abyssal creature called a Yugoloth. There are also reports of floating flaming skulls that throw fire. Worst of all though is the presence of Exethanter. Is was a loyal servant of the Shadowsworn. He is ancient, he is evil, he is undead, and he is most assuredly there. It is said that even Strahd Von-Zarovich won’t wander into the Amber Temple. It is a place of great power and a place that can bestow great power but at a great cost. We tell him that we are after the Sun Sword.
Let me tell you a few things, before Strahd von Zarovich - called the “Shadowsworn” by the Mountain Folk - or his predecessors, the Delmoreans, conquered Barovia, it was inhabited by a civilization 'First People'. The First People worshipped the Rozana, or Ladies Three - a trio of ancient goddesses that ruled over the land - and made sacrifices in their name, seeking omens and fortune in the entrails of beasts and mortals alike.
The Rozana wielded powerful magic, bringing good fortune to those that followed their ways. Only their most devout priests knew the Ladies' names; to all others, they were known as the Weaver, the Huntress, and the Seeker. For as long as they ruled the land, known in those days as Cerrunos, the Ladies acted as its sovereigns, making their will known through auguries and omens. Through intermediaries, they wielded powerful magic, drawing power from water, earth, and air. It was said that the Ladies could hear everything that happened in their woods, predict the future, twist the threads of human lives, and bring blessings as well as curses.
When the men of Delmor first invaded Cerrunos, the druids and berserkers fought bravely in defense of their ancient land. Even so, the technology of iron and steel drove the native warriors back to the mountains and wild places, where they hid from the wrath of the Delmoreans. Worship of the Ladies continued, but with fewer followers and more doubt than before. Many amongst the tribes believed their failure to drive out the invaders to be a punishment sent by the Ladies for their failures and flaws; in their oral histories, the First People's failure to serve the Ladies adequately became known as the Second Betrayal.
Two hundred years later, a haughty warlord named Strahd von Zarovich conquered the fledgling kingdom of Delmor. Fearful, yet optimistic that Zarovich could yet be their savior, the druids of the forest approached him soon after his coronation. They offered him forbidden secrets - hidden knowledge that would bind his power to the land, if only he would promise them patronage and safety. Strahd, his interest piqued, accepted.
Thrice did the druids of old Cerrunos guide Strahd von Zarovich, mortal that he was, to the Fanes of the Ladies Three. As he stood in these sanctums and felt their primal, ancient magic, Strahd became determined that these, too, must be conquered. In the Swamp Fane, temple of the reclusive Weaver; in the Forest Fane, home of the wise Huntress; and in the Mountain Fane, home of the mystic Seeker, Strahd re-consecrated each stone altar to his own image, sealing rites of blood and powerful magic that bound his soul to the magic of the Ladies - and so became the Land.
The druids, desperate for a protector, were silent in the face of this profane desecration; the warrior tribes, however, saw it as blasphemy, and separated from the company of the druids in disgust. This became known and the Third betrayal. Today, the Ladies and their rituals are lost to time and the mists. He told us that the Druids basically stay to the west, the mountain folk and warriors, came here.
Snoggly asked if the Ladies were still around. Ormir believed they are still around but are hiding. Strahd is more powerful, so they hide in the forms of normal everyday people, birds perhaps. We really don’t know where they are. If they still exist, and if Strahd knew where they were, Strahd would destroy them. Haldar asked if the Ladies could get the land back from Strahd. It is believed that the land can still be cleansed, and the Ladies restored to power, but it would take greatly weakening Strahds defenses and connection to the land. He said he was not sure how we would accomplish that. We’ve always believed that the reason that Strahd fears the temple is because the key to his destruction is there. Certainly, the key to his creation is there.
We sought winter clothing and traded the wolf pelts for them. They outfitted us and we made sure the sleeves and ankles will be able to be tied down to help protect us while also allowing freedom of movement, as much as possible. Misty and Kyanna sought out healing potions, but they don’t have the magical potions. They have some healing herbs and salves that will speed up healing but not potions as we are accustomed to them. Zanfyr let us know that he can predict the weather out to about 24 hours ahead. There were weatherman jokes and a Cantore reference here. All joking aside, this will be invaluable, up here especially, considering how quickly the weather can change up in the mountains.
Dain asks Ormir about any potential strongholds or villages of Dwarves in the mountains of Ghakis. He tells us that he has never seen a dwarf and knows no one that has. There have been rumors that in the southwestern part of Barovia, there are dwarven communities. If they exist, they do not barter or trade or come out of that area. Dain thanked him.
It has gotten late in the afternoon so we decided that we should spend the night. They were fine with us staying the night. They told us in the morning they were going to have a funeral service for the Chief’s wife, Kaldar’s mother, Brunhilde. They asked if we would stay for that. We thought it seemed appropriate, so we did. After breakfast and the funeral, Misty sought out the tent where they were cooking fish and picked up some dried fish rations as well as everything needed for one very nice meal. After that, we said our goodbyes and thanked everyone for the information, and we set out for the main road.
We make it back out to the main road and travel, uphill, about 4 miles. We come upon a split. Kassamir thinks the path to the right is the correct one to follow. We’ll keep an eye out for Revenants. There was dice rolling and a pause while time stopped for the gods. After the short pause, we continued on to the bridge. As it comes into view, the path narrows even more and we see a high wall of black stone, lined with spikes, and topped with statues of demonic vultures with horned heads. In the center of the wall is a closed portcullis, behind which burns a curtain of green fire. On the other side of the green firery wall, gripping the mountains edge, is a guard tower consisting of white stone and topped with golden statues of mighty warriors. Kyanna recognized this place immediately as the place she and Victor had been teleported to from the gate on the platform in Mordenkainen’s hideout. She told us to be warry of the statues on the gate as they came to life and attacked people during her short time there. Haldr asked Kyanna what she can tell us about the place. She remembers that they were teleported into the building. They looked out and saw the gate and what they thought was a green portal. They started making their way to that when they were attacked by four of the creatures on the wall.
Loading a new map…..
Rinn and Haldar asked Kassamir about this path. He said he has been here but the green flame wasn’t present then. We decide that it’s a new security precaution put in by Strahd to prevent people from making it to the temple. This is the Tsolenka Pass! Haldar asked Kyanna about the gargoyles, “So you say that when you approached the gate, the gargoyles came to life and attacked you?”. Kyanna replied, “Yes!”. The group approached to get closer and get a better look. As we get closer, Haldar spots a body that is laying on the other side of the green flame. As he studies it, he sees that it is laying on the ground and eventually notices it is pulled apart. We continued moving slowly closer. Rinn and Haldar move much closer to the gate. They don’t see a mechanism that they might use to raise and lower the portcullis. Rinn searches all around the area before the gate. He doesn’t find any traps. We looked but saw no writing. The gargoyles haven’t moved yet. Rinn steps a little closer trying to determine if he can climb the wall. It appears he can, but his moving forward again triggered something as the gate started opening. Rinn doesn’t feel any heat coming from the green flame.
Haldar and Rinn enter the gate area and though we were closer to the green flame, we’re still not feeling heat. Haldar tosses a copper piece through, and it appears in damaged. Rinn follow with an arrow, tossed through, and again, no damage. He attempted to send Boo through, but Boo was reluctant to do that. Rinn started testing it by flicking his hand through it, much as you would with a candle, to see it gets burned. The first couple of times, no. But each time he held it in there a little longer. Eventually, it did damage him. It’s about 3 feet deep. Haldar attempts to block the fire with a shield to see if he can block it one way. The flame seems too just be there. It’s not coming from below or above so he can’t deflect it. It was then that the portcullis began coming back down, Haldar rolled back and out of it. Rinn ran and jumped through the flame. A lot of dice rolls later, It is announced that Rinn took 30 points of damage. He shoulder-rolled on the landing and ended up near the body. As he turned to announce that he was there and still alive, two of the gargoyle like creatures, leaped from the wall, screeching as they approached the area.
Haldar makes it out of the gatehouse and moves to the side trying to toss a rope to see if he can connect with something that will allow him to climb it. He failed to connect. Rinn was attacked by one of the creatures and though missed with the talon, he got beaked to death, and collapsed. Zanfyr moves up to assist Haldar. Dain moves forward a little to fire crossbow shots at the creature next to Rinn. As he does, he triggers the gate to open again. Rinn is attacked by the other creature, as it begins to try and pull him apart. He takes two failed death saves. Kassamir steps into the gate house and casts a lightning bolt on the first creature. Snoggly casts a fireball at the creatures. Misty made it onto the wall. Kyanna casts Guardian of Faith centered next to Rinn. From a distance, we hear screeching as more creatures are coming this way.
Haldar hits the first one a couple of times. The Guardian spell damages the first one as well. He attacks again and Rinn takes two more death saves. He is out. They begin eviscerating him. Dain jumps through the flame, taking a lot of damage and moves stand over Rinn and attacks the first one, channeling a divine smite into the hit, he kills it. He took a bit of damage jumping through the green flame. Zanfyr moved onto the wall and took a shot at the remaining creature and missed. Misty jumped from the wall and moved on the remaining creature and hits it. She steps back into a shadow and shadow steps away. The creature takes damage from the Guardian and with a screech stuns Misty. He then attacks Dain and hits with one of the attacks. Kassamir casts a magic missile and at the creature. Snoggly chases that with a fireball. Kyanna moves and casts Toll the Dead on the creature, who saves. Haldar hits the creature a couple of times with one of those being a critical hit. It goes down.
Zanfyr is finally able to tell us tht the creatures are akin to a gargoyle but there is something demonic about them. They are made of stone. Dain uses divine sense to sense Fiends coming in from the north. He then follows up with a Protection From Evil spell and stands straddling over Rinn. Kassamir, climbs up onto the wall. Snoggly moved deeper into the gate house and holds an action to cast Magic Missile on them. Kyanna moves up and over the wall and drops down on the other side, heading toward Rinn. Two more of these creatures are moving in from the north. Snoggly lets loose with a magic missile at one of them. Haldar adjusts his hunters mark and targets the one that Snoggly hit. Zanfyr takes a bow shot at the same one and critically hits it. Dain sets up to attack the first one that arrives. Kassamir fires off a magic missile and the same one. Snoggly hits the same one again. Kyanna sets off a fireball bringing the one we had ben targeting. The other creature continues coming in full speed. He screeches as he is arriving and stuns Dain and Kyanna. The creature swooped in on Kyanna. Misty moves in and attacks. She hits it a couple of times and then shadow steps away.
The creature attacks Kyanna and hits her twice, tearing at her, damaging her, her armor, and clothing. Haldar hits it a couple of times and really hurts it. Zanfyr missed. Dain becomes no longer stunned. Misty moves in for some more attacks and shadow streps away. Kassamir casts Magic Missile again. Snoggly follows with his own Magic Missles and it goes down. It falls and is it does, its claws embedded in Kyanna pull her down. Kyanna moves over to cast a revivify, Dain is standing ready with a Lay on Hands behind it and Zanfyr is ready to cast a cure wounds. They do cast in that order and he wakes up screaming in tremendous pain. He is in a great deal of pain but as the healing begins to reverse some of the damage, he begins to feel relief quickly. He is in shock and has little memory of what was beyond the vale, clouding his death. We remember how Kyanna returned from the dead in much the same state. All Rinn know3s is that whatever experience he had, even though he couldn’t clearly remember it, he knows how terrifying it was.
Kyanna and Misty examine the other body laying there. They don’t find anything. Snoggly and Zanfyr both try to determine if the body is Zuleika. They can’t tell for sure as the face has been badly mutilated, but she is a balding, dark-skinned woman. It could very well be her. Haldar checks about and sees some tracks that ultimately move towards the building. Rinn is clearly not ready for searching or investigating anything.