Chronicles of the Realm Walkers: Session 61

Theren had collected a variety of things to make up a care package and arrived at Strahd's mansion, finding the front door slightly ajar. They found the home out of sorts, with magical candles not lit and no one present on the main floor. On the second floor Theren explored using blink, leaving the care package in front of Bill's bedroom.   Theren found Bill in his studio hunched over painting. He was painting on a canvas that was now nearly entirely red. It had not been when he started. Theren tried to engage with him, while they were having a discussion, Strahd was a shell of his normal self. As Theren asked questions they learnt that Strahd was encourage to paint by his mother, had been around bad situations that he'd been told "were not his fault to many times". Strahd remembered from their discussion the night before about the amber forge asking if Theren could take him their which Theren said they could.   Theren opened up to Strahd about their childhood as a Half-Elf growing up around racist Elves and how Theren made decisions that inevitably destroyed "her hometown". Theren tried to use the fact that they mad bad choices and bad things happened where as Strahd tried to do good things but bad things may happen. Strahd broke into a long ugly Cry.   Eventually he opened up about his child hood. He had been "raised by a village". He was the only child living in a castle in snowy mountains. he was trained in all sort of manners, sword fighting, chivalry, politics, economics, etc. He was raised with this notion he was destined for great things. Then one day he was told not to ask any questions as everyone he knew was panicking about something coming and was given a bag and pushed into a magic circle.   He had a lot of anger toward them for that but he eventually realized while he didn't know why they did it there was no way they did it maliciously. So he decided to use his wealth to try and do good in the same line as he was raised to do. and in preforming that plan people died as a result of his choices.   Strahd went on to explain all the negative ramifications of just that one night. Theren said sorry a nd a few more comforting words before leaving again.   Meanwhile leaving The Boiler Pot Ysir realized they had lost a member of their party. they waited and Theren did return. Ysir re-stated the plan, again. He then briefed the party on Eragis's powers as they went over what they all knew. After using sending to talk to Saransina, the party concluded they would have Saransina move far enough away from to not be sensed, attempt to set the hollow spell to stop Eragis from teleporting or planeshifting and use Yenter as alluring bait. the problem being to not let Yenter actually be eaten in any way as he may well wake and not be satisfied by Yenter and in his ravenous hunger forget himself and become a much greater threat.   The party headed south into The Wilds where they started to hear drumming hooting and cheering, unenthusiastic cheering. soon after Ohzin, the Chosen of Melora came bursting onto the bath. who looked at Rhy and Ranrus and was confused they were like them. He told them Melora had sent him to help them. he also told the party that the Ooglings are children of the Wild Mother.   He continued to insist Dragons are evil and that they are out to destroy everything God related. By his description he had run off a Green Dragon recently that spit acid which was strange to them. The party followed him to the location   The party asked Ysir his thoughts and he was generally confused. He quietly asked to no one in particular," why do they follow him?".   as the followed along Ysir broke away and started talking to the Noble Ooglings, one at a time. the party prepared to make camp in the same Melora's glade they had camped in before. there they let him know to keep and eye out for Eragis whom he had seen several full moons ago. he also communed with Melora and got them permission to hallow some ground, even though he wasn't sure what that was.   the next morning they got up well rested and Ohzin led them to the cave the Dragon had been living in. the area was covered in a viscous poison, not acid.   As Ohzin left, Ysir asked the group with a quizzical smile, "do you think he knows Ooglings aren't children of Melora?" when the party seemed confused he quickly explained they were children of Dor, the God of language.   The party searched the area for anything they could use as a scent bait to increase the allurer to Eragis. Lee found some Dragon shed skin and the party collected it before heading toward Yenter.   When the reached the Yenters clearing Saransina appeared offering to provide some amount of aid before she disappeared. She wasn't sure if Eragis was enough but with the preparedness Yenter could wake enough to eat an incapacitated Yenter.   Before she left Lee let her know he had discovered Caran's location.   Ranrus manages to hallow the ground over 24 hours. The rest of the party rested off and on, but Ranrus went to rest as soon he finished. the others took watches. Rhy heard a lot of movement but couldn't identify the cause, she passed this onto lee who during his watch saw something large moving around in the dark. Lee turned invisible and moved into the wood. Whatever was there moved away from him. Lee was confident it was Eragis. Most of the party was informed, but Ranrus was left sleeping. Lee tried to determine if Eragis could sense him while he was invisible and Eragis's behavior left things unclear. Theren took their watch didn't see Eragis appear as bolt of magical lighting ripped into the camp making Eragis's presence known. the party jumped into action, readying spells and abilities for the freshly started confrontation. Date: Mid-Day on the 5th of Kirit to the early hours of the 7th of Kirit, 1437 DC