Session 21

Before the party makes their way in, Adrian tells them:

• Unseen, is a the horde of Needle Blights concealed within the vineyard
• The party must sneak past the horde to deal with the Forest Folk inside
• He believes that one or more of the Forest Folk may have knowledge on how to dismiss or destroy the blights
• they should sneak or flea the lines of blights

The group takes turns checking out the vineyard and the winery before they make their way in. Seeing that there are many blights along the path to the building, the group decides to make their way through the vines instead.

In the vineyard, the party is shocked to see that there are far more blights than they first realized. They emerge from among the vines and start chasing the group. A few of them sink their claws into the party members, but the group is ultimately able to outmaneuver them.

More and more blights join the chase as the party makes a beeline for the winery. The group bursts out from the vines and find themselves on the northern side of the winery. They're presented with the option of 4 doors, one of which that is clearly chained shut. Bardolf throws down some magic grease to slow the monsters' approach as Elora handily picks the lock. The group runs through the sliding doors, finding themselves in a room full of fermentation vats.

They slam the sliding doors shut behind them, but before they're able to rest, they hear multiple thuds as the blights slam themselves against the door with increasing force. Bardolf has Metarlos block the door, but as more and more blights gather at the door, it's not enough to hold them off. One of the sliding doors bends and breaks off the track, and a few of the blights sneak through and lay into the party dealing even more damage.

Anakir conjures a Faithful Hound to guard the door, and buys the party enough time to re-set the door and barricade themselves inside.

Finally able to catch their breath, Pelanil is the first to realize they're not alone. He spots a homeless person Forest Folk pouring something into the one of the vats of wine. He immediately charges her, hoping to only incapacitate and not kill her. The rest of the party join his efforts, and Izek is able to stun her with a barrel to the head while Bardolf punts a lil stick boi across the room.

Pelanil slaps her awake and asks what she knows about the blights outside. She only yells at him in an unknown language. Shalooti casts Comprehend Languages and with a history check can tell that she is speaking Druidic. Shalooti blushes at the words the woman is yelling at Pelanil. Pelanil threatens the woman, she spits on him in response, and he slices her in half with his new magic sword.

The party makes their way upstairs and opens a door to find a man with wild hair, rotted teeth, and skin painted red with blood. He waves a gnarled staff made from a black branch and babbles at the party. With her Comprehend Languages still in effect, Shalooti understand him to say "Nature bows to my every whim, for I have the vampire's staff!"

A half-formed Twig Blight falls from the end of the mans staff, and he jumps through the hole in the middle of the floor that the winch rises through. He lands in a wagon on the first floor, jumps out, and casts Spike Growth on the wagon to slow the party's chase. Pelanil immediately removes the spikes with Counterspell, and jumps through the hole, tackling the man. Shortly after, Elora completely kills him with her psychic blades.

Pelanil inspects the man's staff to find that it is a spongy, black length of wood from which ashen smoke wisps at a constant rate. As he loosens his grip, he finds left behind a bloody residue on his hand. He straps the staff to his back, intending to get more familiar with it when he's able to rest for a while.

Anakir notices the house sounds empty, and all that he can still hear are the blights outside in the vineyard. The party splits up to explore the house. Izek busts open a chest to find a ton of "Strahd Bucks". Bardolf finds some fine velvet drapes. The party reminisces their time with Blinsky when they find a rocking horse made by him to resemble Strahd's Nightmare, Beucephalus.

The party settles in for a break upstairs.

Pelanil finds some stairs and makes his way into the basement.