Session 17: Restless Knights

General Summary

Shaken Divinity

• Once the party realises that the revenants can't recover if they are hurt with fire or radiance...its a walk in the park.
• The revenants are quickly...dispatched.
• Leaving you all free to continue to explore the rest of the manor!
• The gang takes a short rest, while Garreak scopes out the rest of the main floor.
• He gets spooked by a bat hanging out in a kitchen pot but nothing of note is found besides a graveyard (still unexplored) outside and some other signs of the former holy order.

Phantom Menaces

A Dark Omen?

• Making your ways upstairs, the party begins to explore the upper level of the manor.
• Once again going in smaller groups to cover more ground, at first nothing of note is found.
• Then, Garreak's attention is drawn to a slightly rippling red velvet curtain, where a black cloth covered something atop a white marble pedestal.
• Maisie pulls off the cloth carefully, where to the shock of everyone...is her severed head! Its cold to the touch and the skin is rigid (no logic or magic could dispel this belief in any of you).
• First, Kerberos attempts to knock over the pedestal (this does nothing).
• Then, Maisie asks very nicely for her head back...only for Kerberos to accidently drop it. Dispelling whatever that was to reveal the now smashed bust of Argynvost in his human guise.
• After all that, you all press on.
• Most of the rooms explored are the remains of sleeping quarters, all in various states of decay.
• One room, has what appears to be a tiny dragon made of smoke hiding in some soot. It makes no moves to attack so you all decide to leave it alone, eventually it flees the room like a scared cat when you leave.

It's a Trap!

• Kerberos, Maisie, Arianne, Garreak and Everdeen all endeavor to investigate two locked doors...however, as soon as they approach either door, a wall of stone magically seals them in as phatom warrior begin their assault!
• Ireena, Skeleton Archer and Madame H all try their best to help on the other side of the wall ( but are somewhat restricted).
• To turn the tides of battle, Maisie unleashes a wave of thunder that while it deals with many of the phantom warriors...it also alerts everyone within 300ft of y'all's presence.
• At least the wall is gone too.

The Last Men of the Order of the Silver Dragon

• Well, instead of the Thunderwave leading to y'all being bum-rushed by enemies, it brings a new friend.
• Sir Godfrey Gwilym of the Order of the Silver Dragon is here with some of his fellow revenants to help y'all out!
• When the battle is done you learn a few things;
• Godfrey and his friends are the few knights remaining who haven't been consumed by a need for vengeance and rage.
• Godfrey believes that the party may have been tasked with lighting the beacon, though they will need to locate and recover Argynvost's skull first. This was stolen by Strahd and his army, when they destroyed the order during the initial conquest of Barovia (as eluded to in the Tome of Strahd).
• Arianne recalls that Cyrus Belview collected bones that he used for decorations in a hall. Including a very prominent dragon skull.
• Godfrey confirms if the party where to place these bones within the manor's mausoleum (located in the cemetery), the Order's souls would be put to rest and Argynvost will once again watch over Barovia.

Session ended at 8pm 21/9/735; 21stof Sintavr, 735