Session 16

• The wolf hunters will come back in the evening with Carlos and will be expecting the rest of their payment
  • They also have news of Ismark in Barovia Village, a letter to Ireena
• Izek needs to tell Elora about their childhood
  • he may say they need to go meet Vargas
• Danika and Urwin emphasize to the party that Ireena is likely lost, and if they wish to save her, they need more power and/or allies
  • Maybe they come out as The Order
    • If the party questions their advice, they can take them to the secret room upstairs and tell convince them they're right because of all the spies and intel they have
  • They can also tell them that the Mad Mage is probably who they're looking for
• After the Feast, the town is on high alert
  • put a session or two in between the feast and the festival
• If the party tries to leave, The Burgomaster moves up the festival

Ismark's Letter

My dearest sister, life has become more difficult these days since your leaving. With father's death now publicly known, I've stepped up to fill the role of Burgomaster. But the villagers reject me. They refuse to be led by "The Lesser".

I know that you would have been a better leader, Ireena. I just wish I had your political prowess.

Since yesterday, there seems to have been an outbreak of some new disease. More than half the town have taken to shuffling through the streets like the undead. They all sweat profusely and seem to shake uncontrollably. I've even seen some fall in the streets with seizures. Paranoia and confusion reign. Please send advice.

Yours, Ismark

• Talk about the Mad Mage
• Danika just transformed into a wereraven
  • She'll tell them about The Keepers of the Feather
• She'll admit to having helped them at Old Bonegrinder
• She'll tell them about the spy network and their work against Strahd
• She'll tell the party that the rumor Father Lucian Petrovich heard is true; Pelanil can be brought back to life by The Abbot in Krezk
  • but that "He has a penchant for the grotesque"
  • more than likely, that is where Strahd will take Ireena's body
• She also has to tell them that the Mad Mage comes down to the lake on occasion
  • And they need allies if they are to ever leave Barovia

• Father Lucian freaks out because Pelanil is back to life

  You see your friend sitting there, different than before. Yes, of course, now he's clearly once again living. But his physical appearance has also changed

  He is much paler than before. His eyes, once a striking green, are now an unremarkable gray, and his hair once a wise silver, is now thin and completely white.

• Describe Pelanil's experience with death:

You see Strahd hold out his hand and mutter some words. Your body starts tingling, all the moisture is being wicked away, and you feel yourself becoming old. The pain is agonizing. Then nothing... Then something.

You find yourself floating above your body. You look down, and your crucifix is glowing. Then you remember your deity, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus promised you you'd join him in the afterlife. Your soul must be ascending.

You float eastward, out of Vallaki, along the road, through the forest, right past Castle Ravenloft itself and yet further east. Your soul makes it to the gates by which you entered Barovia just 5 days ago. You float fast them and towards the mists.

You see something. There's a shadow drifting through the mist, but then it's gone. You push forward. You know that the afterlife is just beyond the fog and that you'll finally be at rest after years of battling evil.

But the mists hit you like a solid wall. You cannot pass through.

You clutch your cross and pray for guidance. No answer. You clutch harder and pray harder. Still no answer. You cry out for deliverance... No answer... Have you been forsaken?...

The shadow. It flitters closer to you. It stands at the edge of the mists and beckons you to come. This time you can. Your soul floats through the mists and approaches the shadow. It whispers something to you. It asks a question. You nod in affirmation, swearing some unknown oath.

The shadow slithers away, as the mists grow thicker, and darker until you see nothing but white... And you hear Father Lucian's voice exclaim: "Morninglord! He's breathing".

• You look at your hands and they're paler than before

• Father Lucian goes running after the rest of the crew

• Izek talks to Elora

  • He tells her their history
  • He invites her to meet The Burgomaster
• The wolf hunters come back with the letter from Ismark

  • They also have a letter given to them by Rahadin: Strahd's Invitation

• Find out what the party wants to do; probably deal with the Mad Mage or visit Strahd

• Go to bed