Session 10

General Summary

Summary of Events

The last session saw the adventurers delve deeper into the ominous lands of Barovia, where the weight of the mists grows heavier with every step. Over the course of their journey, they encountered both hidden allies and powerful foes, leaving them shaken but resolute in their quest to uncover the mysteries of the valley.

Van Richten’s Cache

The session began with the party uncovering a hidden cache left behind by the infamous monster hunter, Rudolph van Richten. Following a descirption from Doru, the adventurers tracked the cache to its hiding spot—a hollowed-out tree near the Svalich Woods.

The First Encounter with Strahd (River Ivlis Crossroads)

After leaving the cache, the adventurers pressed on through the foggy wilderness, their path taking them to the River Ivlis Crossroads. Here, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to thrum with anticipation as the players heard the distant sound of hooves approaching through the mist.

The scene quickly turned ominous as Strahd’s sleek black carriage emerged from the fog, drawn by midnight-black horses with glowing red eyes. Seated atop the driver’s box was a striking figure—Escher, one of Strahd’s vampiric consorts—whose mocking smile immediately set the players on edge.

• Strahd stepped out of the carriage with an air of regal arrogance, his crimson cloak billowing slightly despite the stillness of the air. He greeted the adventurers with unsettling charm, his tone polite yet dripping with menace.
• Strahd’s interest lingered on Ireena, whom he addressed directly and lamenting her continued defiance of him. His obsession with her was clear, but he made no move to take her by force, instead warning that he would see her again soon.
• The vampire lord spoke cryptically to the party, gauging their resolve and mocking their attempts to stand against him.
• Billy challenged Strahd who accepted the one-on-one duel. Strahd allowed Billy the first 5 rounds of his assault with now intervening from Strahd.
• Billy valiantly attemped to use his strongest abilites against Strahd to no avail. Strahd used his telekinetic grasp to suspend Billy in mid-air, denying Billy anyway to attack him.
• Strahd offered Billy offered to release if Billy only agreed to a plea of mercy - Billy did.
• Strahd posed some questions to the group .

As the conversation ended, dire wolves emerged from the trees, one for each party member, their golden eyes glowing with unnatural intensity. Strahd gestured lazily, calling them his “friends” and warning the party that Barovia is ever-watchful. With that, he stepped back into his carriage, and the procession disappeared into the fog, leaving the players unnerved and questioning their next steps.

The Strix Encounter

Halfway down the path from the River Ivlis Crossroads, the adventurers encountered a new and mysterious foe in the form of a strix—a massive, owl-like monstrosity with piercing eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness.

• A raven with blue-tipped wings—recognizably the same raven that met them in the village of Barovia—then crashes into the road at the players’ feet, visibly wounded. Her wings and torso have been penetrated by several dozen silver barbs, leaving her unable to fly, regenerate, or transform until removed.
• The raven’s arrival is followed soon after by a terrible, grating shriek and the arrival of a greater strix: a large artificial “bird” crafted of wood, animal skins, burlap, and hundreds of black raven’s feathers. It was joined by 3x Swarms of Lesser Strix.
• The fight was brutal, as the strix used its superior mobility and talons to harry the adventurers.

Despite the strix’s strength, the party eventually triumphed, slaying the creature after a series of well-coordinated attacks. The body of the strix dissolved into shadowy mist upon its death, further confirming its unnatural nature.