Session 33

The group sets off towards Van Richten's Tower with Ezmerelda. On the hour-and-a-half journey, Shalooti ponders how she might tame her polar bear once her spell wears off.

Escher and Anakir hold hands for most of the journey.

Near the end of the trip, the group hears wolves howling in the woods. Ezmerelda leaps into action, pulling her crossbow off her back and delivering two well-aimed slivered bolts into the woods and presumably the bodies of the wolves, as the howling stops instantly.

The party finally arrives at the lake. They see a small causeway leading over the water out to an old worn-down tower in the middle of the lake. There are deep tire tracks in the mud leading from the tower. When Ezmerelda sees them, she curses under her breath and takes off following the tracks into the woods, shouting back to the party to go on without her.

Pelanil hesitates, but then follows after Ezmerelda. The rest of the group heads towards the tower. Elora knocks on the door, but is blown backwards as the tower is consumed by blue lightning. From a distance, Elora more closely examines the door and realizes the sign depicts a dance. Shalooti knows exactly what to do. She busts a move!

Once she finishes all the dance moves, the lightning ceases and the door creaks open, revealing a small vestibule with lovely curtains (Bardolf snatches them immediately).

Pelanil is skeptical of the tower, and casts a spell to heal the party. He feels his connection with Jesus Christ of Nazareth, but the spell has no effect.

The first floor is old and worn. In the middle of the room there is a square platform attached to chains on all four corners. By each chain stands a clay statue. Pelanil recognizes them as Clay Golems. Elora and Shalooti jump onto the small platform, followed immediately by everyone else except Pelanil and Bardolf. Pelanil claps his hands and the golems each grab their chain. Elora says "up", and the platform begins to rise ever... so.... slowly......

Pelanil climbs ahead up one of the chains, well outpacing the elevator. Shalooti attempts to follow, but slips only to be caught by Elora.

After 2.5 minutes, the party finally arrives at the 4th floor.

The fourth floor is obviously lived-in with creature comforts and tons of weapons, books, and potions. There is a fire in the stove, but no one seems to be around.

Anakir searches for a magic on-off switch to disable the apparent antimagic field. He only finds a wooden coat hook which he pulls off the wall and sharpens into a stake.

Elora and Shalooti find a severed Vistani head inside a chest. They just put it back and pretend they never saw it.

Pelanil finds a calligrapher's set and herbalist kit. As he's searching, he also finds a charred page from a journal, apparently meant to be burned: Van Richten's Journal Entry.

From the note we learn:

• van Richten mercy killed his son after Ezmerelda's family kidnapped him
• A Vistana cursed him saying, "Live you always among monsters, and see everyone you love die beneath their claws!"

AfterPelanil finishes reading the note, the elevator jerks back into motion. Shalooti finds and dons the Rictavio disguise, fooling no one.

After a full 5 minutes, van Richten, Ezmerelda, and Bardolf arrive at the fourth floor.

Ezmerelda introduces the party to van Richten, who they've actually already met as Rictavio. She says that he had hidden her wagon in the woods for her, and she found him there when she went to look for it.

Before much time passed, Ezmerelda and van Richten start bickering which ultimately turns into a full blown fight. The arguing only stops once the party starts to gather on the elevator to leave.

van Richten begs them to stay, swearing they'll keep the fighting to a minimum.

The group talks shortly to van Richten and Ezmerelda. When he asks about Ireena, Elora tells him Pelanil mercy killed her, "something you're familiar with".

From van Richten and Ezmerelda, the party learns the following:

• the Amber Temple is incredibly cold
  • they recommend gearing up either with magic or with clothing before embarking
• the path there is treacherous
  • Ezmerelda tried to go, but turned back
• Strahd has actually been killed in a battle before, but he just came back to life a few days later
• There must be a way to kill him for good
  • The information is most likely housed at The Amber Temple