Session 19: Old Wounds

Ezmerelda and Ilena drove the cart down the Old Svallich road, a thick fog settling
over the wood as they reached the lowlands around Lake Baratok. In this fog they
saw two figures dueling silently on the road, and approached stealthily.

The figures stopped their duel and demanded the caravan cease until the duel was
concluded. Apparently these two knights were having an argument about honour and
oaths, neither willing to turn their back long enough to let the cart pass. This
suspicion appeared justified, when the softer spoken figure turned to address the
pair, and was stabbed in the back by his fellow.

He blocked the road alone at this point, saying that “None shall rob the Devil of
his due”. The knight justified the backstabbing, calling the soft-spoken knight an
oathbreaker and not worthy of honour, and demanded one of the two to fight him for
passage. Ilena stepped forward, and the knight declared himself Andrei, Knight of
the Order of the Silver Dragon.

This duel quickly turned sour when Ez cursed Andrei, and in the ensuing fight he
referred to his order as the Wardens of Strahd’s prison. The fight was brief, and
as his body died, Andrei promised Ilena he would not forget, but return to one
called Vladimir. His body collapsed, glowing red eyes fading and features melting
to that of a peasant corpse.

Rapidly deteriorating, the backstabbed knight approached Ilena, introducing himself

as Godfrey, Knight of the same order as his fellow. He claimed to have been waiting
for someone like Ilena, a Paladin with nobility and honour; he claims to hear the
voice of Argynvost, the titular Silver Dragon, a demi god this order served in
life.

Apparently, Strahd took Argynvost’s remains upon killing him, and the knights that
survived were so filled with hate and spite that they committed unspeakable acts to
get back at him. In the end, the knights swore new oaths to keep Strahd forever in
misery, while Godfrey remained loyal to Argynvost’s vision of honour, justice, and
mercy. He wants the Curse of Strahd to end, and for those who suffer with him to be
free.

If Ilena can retrieve the skull of Argynvost and return it to their stronghold, the
other knights would remember their oaths and awaken to their true purpose; to act
with compassion and honour, endeavouring to destroy evil without falling to hate.
Ilena was less than convinced, but agreed to look for the skull. Godfrey expired,
features melting away.

Back in the ruins of the Abbey, Volk and Red negotiated for the Emerald in advance
of their parting. Volk insisted that this was their purpose, and that since they
are going right to the Tree, they must have it. Diana sided with Volk, and Red
reluctantly passed over the gem, no ill will intended.

Meanwhile, Ireena and Rory discussed the arguments from last session. Ireena mused
that Red is a good person, she believes, but is something like a cup; he is all
poured out, but something will eventually be put back into it. She hopes it isn’t
what filled the Abbot back up, after he was drained.

Red and Diana noticed Vasilka picking at her torn stitches at this point, and
searched the ruins for materials to fix this. In their search, Diana was found by
the remains of Clovin’s twin, having grown a lattice of meat with which to engulf
her. It was killed, the baby’s head with its single tooth finally falling still.
Vasilka’s arms were repaired as best they could, but she is clearly a construct at
this point.
They set off along the mountain trail, and soon heard a loud argument from beyond a
ridge. As they prepared to meet or avoid these voices, a goat the size of a cart
appeared over the ridge. It seemed part made of mist, and charged at them. It
slammed into Red and nearly sent him tumbling down the hill, but he caught himself
in a surprising feat of acrobatics.

The arguers appeared soon after, a centaur charging in with a massive battle axe,
and a small eclectic elf on his back flinging spells. They attacked the goat (the
centaur called it Sangzor) and as it neared death, it disappeared into the
ethereal.

Introductions were made, the centaur is called Boulder, an aged warrior from a clan
of Berserkers from Barovia’s wilds. This diverse group of peoples were the first
non-elves in this land, and changed leaders yearly based on the hunter who can
capture Sangzor. The elf meanwhile is Celina, a wizard apprentice seeking her
mentor, Mordenkainen. Oddly perceptive, she pried into these new people, likely
unsettling them. The two agreed to escort this party over the mountain, recognizing
their vague description of the far side of Lake Baratok.

Elsewhere, Ez and Ilena arrived at Khazam’s Tower and spotted a large figure
stalking them in the shadows. As they began to search for the hidden den, this
figure stepped out of the trees, smaller than before. It was Emil, freshly
transformed, and he questioned their intent. He had only just arrived, Strahd’s
teleport sending him to the other side of Barovia.

Emil gave them more details about the situation with the werewolf den. Emil was
chief, briefly, upon the death of their previous chief. The pack has an uneasy
relationship with Strahd, deferential but not eager to please, and Emil was
intending to take them in a less monstrous direction. He was usurped by Kiril, a
werewolf turned as an adult and alleged asshole who received magic powers after
some time away from the pack.

Kiril is pro-mayhem, treating suffering as a kind of game and survival of the

fittest, he likely got these powers from Strahd so as to be of better use. He sent
Emil with Rahadin to be imprisoned in Ravenloft, and has likely been hurting the
pack since. They return to the tower, hopefully a safe space to store the
Mongrelfolk while they confront Kiril. Ez loaned Emil a spare pair of lady’s
leather pants as well.

The other party at this point reached the werewolf den, a cavern carved into the
shape of a snarling wolf’s head. Beyond was a deep cave system, and two guards in
wolf form. After some deliberation, the party sent Red to greet them based on their
friendship with Emil.

One wolf transformed into an elderly woman, telling the party that Emil is in exile
and that this friendship is unwise in these parts. After some questioning this
authenticity, she agreed to let them in briefly. They were to be brief and leave no
trace, apparently a werewolf called Zuleika would want to talk with them.

The party found a dour atmosphere inside these caves, and not many werewolves
remained within. They were led to a large chamber holding children in cages, fed on
raw meat and looking scared. The room however was dominated by a hoard of treasure,
extending from this pile a representation of Mother Night. She had two faces, one a
snarling wolf’s head, and the other an unreadable porcelain mask. Celina mused that
this is a synthesis of the two Shadowfell deities, Shar and the Raven Queen, evil
and neutral, likely fused in local superstition.

Before this altar knelt a young woman, who Redmond recognized. Flustered for once,
Red questioned Zuleika, who caught on to something being off. Her Sword Coast
accent belied her origins, and in the line of questioning, the source of Red’s scar
was revealed. Years ago, while working as a bandit, a job went wrong, really wrong.

Red had to make a choice, to save himself and damn his partners and customers,
bystanders, or save himself. He chose the latter, and the resulting black powder
explosion that followed took Zuleika and Emil’s family. The two went on the run,
blamed for the crime, and would eventually be caught up in the Barovian werewolf
pack. They were turned, and had to endure horrors to simply survive.

Redmond was shook, but managed to remove his helmet. He tried to apologize, but
when this was rejected, he vowed to be better, and relayed that he has been doing
better ever since. Zuleika meanwhile was cold, deeming that Red is self-serving
like everyone else. One should never have to suffer for another, and she thinks it
is arrogance to think you can make that choice.

She related much the same story Ilena and Ez heard, Kiril is a werewolf turned and
obsessed with survival of the fittest and might make right. He has reimplemented
the old ways of the pack, kidnapping children and forcing them to fight to the
death and only turning the winners once they’ve consumed their peers. He also
enacted a purge once Emil was gone, ridding the pack of ‘useless eaters’. Most
support him despite this, swayed by his obvious power and drive. Since his return,
he wields a magical spear of blood.

Zuleika hurried the party out at this point, fearing Kiril’s return would find them
trapped. She bid them return, and agreed to incorporate the Mongrelfolk, if they
would be turned. Her vision, along with Emil’s, is that the pack should be a family
of equals, there by choice. Otherwise she doesn’t think their accommodations would
be welcome to non-werewolves.

The parties finally reunited once they convened at Khazam’s tower, and as they were
catching up, Celina investigated the anti-magic field on and within the tower. She
found the mithal hidden under the elevator platform, and attempted to alter the
formula to make her own creations immune to the field. She triggered a safeguard
however, summoning an Adult Blue Dragon to defend the tower against her meddling.
It attacked the party, and they barely defeated it.

The fight concluded, Celina finished her work, now unaffected by the anti-magic
field. It was only at this point that the party noticed Redmond missing. He didn’t
come up the elevator with them, and Celina didn’t think to keep an eye on him.

Elsewhere, Volk, Rory, and Ireena tried to follow the Old Svallich Road south, but
quickly became lost as the trees and fog closed in tight around them. Soon, wind
chimes could be heard, and they spotted pastries and sweets hanging from the trees
along the narrow dirt path they tread. The chimes took on a chorus of voices,
singing a song about a Teddy Bears’ Picnic, all while a distant, regular thumping
rose in volume.

They stopped to assess their situation, and the sounds slowed, replaced by a low,
organic creaking from behind them. Ireena mused that Strahd has never attacked them
so directly, but Morgantha and the hags have. Turning they saw a small hut with two
windows and no door, perched atop spindly legs covered in feathers, looking like a
squat monster looking down at them.

Volk remembered the phrase that occurred to them earlier that day, and all the
children’s stories they’d heard of this old crone. Tales that describe long nostril
hairs and earlobes, a mortar and pestle that she can fly in, grinding children’s
bones to make her bread, but most of all, that you don’t want to meet this crone in
the woods, and especially not in her little hut.
The three turned to run, and the hut chased them. Silhouettes of large stuffed
bears watched them from the sides of the road, brandishing cleavers and forks. They
made good progress, but eventually stumbled, landing in the mud and cuddling up
together, prepared for the end, only to be met with another sudden silence.

Looking up, they saw a lone figure before them. He knelt to reach out a hand to
them, and they looked into Redmond’s face. He smiled, and apologized for his
earlier treatment of Rory. He was too harsh, and promised to do better, but first,
they have to get out of these woods.