Session 29

• Mention Shalooti's Deck of Some Things

• If he reaches for the Icon of Ravenloft, he'll take a ton of damage
• If he dies, Jesus Christ of Nazareth intervenes to rescue him
  • His hair will go back to normal
  • A flashback to Pelanil's NDE and Pelanil's Conversation with Menigal for the players (they don't know this information yet)
  • "My son, I have gone to great lengths to protect you from Menigal's reach. He yet tries to snag your soul. I will protect you in this realm while I can. Go forth and kick ass"
  • If he doesn't touch the thing and die, have Jesus come to him in spirit:
    • Pelanil may feel led to sit for a while in the chapel
    • Remember
    • "My son, I have gone to great lengths to come to you in this realm. There is yet hope for your soul. Travel to Krezk and speak with The Abbot."

• The group finishes dinner
  • will be escorted to their rooms by Cyrus if they decide to stay
  • if they decide to leave, Strahd says the carriage will take them wherever they would like to go in Barovia
  • Escher will conversate
  • Rahadin may be around
    • Don't forget:

      So dreadful a creature is Rahadin that anyone who stands within 10 feet of him can hear the howling screams of the countless men and women he has killed in his lifetime. Rahadin can't hear them, nor would he be haunted by them if he could. The only thing he cares about is Strahd von Zarovich, for whom he would gladly give his life.

• Strahd visits in the middle of the night
  • or if the party tries to leave, he has Rahadin sneak over to Elora and request an audience in K25
  • if they party tries to follow, he may use Wall of Force to block them or Gust of Wind to blow them down the stairs, or will ultimately have the convo with some of them there

Elora, you intrigue me. Unlike the others, you do not shy away from the darkness, but rather seek to understand it. That is a rare quality, one I respect deeply. You are not like the others. You see beyond the veil of fear that blinds them. You seek knowledge, truth... perhaps even power. I could help you find all three.

• Strahd will ask her to be a consort

  • He's considering her as his successor (he would never actually allow it, but he's considering)
    • He may even tell her that he is considering
  • If she's not on board, he offers:
    • knowledge of the arcane
    • secrets of Barovia’s history
    • insights into power that only he can provide
    • He might dangle the promise of mastering forbidden magics or uncovering truths that the other adventurers could never hope to grasp

• On Betrayal: "I do not demand outright betrayal, rather I ask for something more like a partnership"

Imagine, Elora, what you could achieve with my guidance. Together, we could unlock mysteries that have eluded scholars for centuries. You could become more than just a hero in a doomed land... you could be a legend.

• If denied: the offer stands and that the door is open if she changes her mind

Acceptance

"I knew you were different, Elora. You have made a wise choice, one that will set you apart from the others. With my guidance, you will uncover secrets and gain strength that your companions could never imagine."

• Ask Elora to find the Misc/Campaign Items/Sunsword and bring it back to him
• If she doesn't care about betrayal:
  • spy on the party for him
  • sabotage the party's efforts