Sunny Barovia

  8/23/2022 We found no sign of a driver and Dasco wasn’t immediately struck dead or kidnapped.   The carriage was stocked with wine, cheese and bread.   We became increasingly convinced this was Strahd’s version of an invitation to dinner. We discussed whether or not we would take him up on the offer right now.   Ireena made it clear she would not voluntarily be going to Ravenloft.   She felt certain she could guide herself and Autumn back to Tser Pool. With great reservation, I climbed in after Dacso and Wolfram.   Laz happily took the driver’s position up top.   The door closed on its own accord and off we went.   During the journey, wine was poured, and light snacks served by an unseen servant or hand.   I know Woodhouse isn’t capable of emotions, but nevertheless, I’m sure he would have felt slighted to see some other Unseen Servant performing these chores. After about an hour, the weather had turned even worse, and we pulled up to...

 8/16/2022 Tser Pool Encampment at night While it was nice to rest with a goblet of wine for a bit, there was work to be done around the Vistanti camp. Dasco, Wolfram and I went out with a couple of Vistani brothers named Stefan & Grigori Vasille to gather firewood.   While the woods have proven to be fairly dangerous, it was clear that these Vistani felt quite safe.   They didn’t even bother to bring weapons. We gathered a bit, then the brothers felt my skills would be better put to use by keeping watch.   Which I was happy to do.   There was one slightly tense moment when I saw 4 or 5 of those big dire wolves coming through the trees.   But they appeared to have no interest in us and moved on. We came back to the camp with enough wood to last several days.   Dasco found a fellow wine hater in the personage of Lee Funar.   Good. They can discuss the relative merits of lake water versus river water.   Well, Lee can.   Dasco...

  8/9/2022 I came upstairs, ready to help where I could, but the threat was over.   Wolfram asked me to check the attic area with him, while the rest of the group freed the kids and the ravens.   While we were looking around, a veritable tornado of ravens came up the stairs and out the various windows.   I went downstairs to see if everyone was alright, and saw a lone raven on a table, with Laz interrogating it about “who do you ally yourself with?” The raven cawed and did that head tilt thing that they do, and Laz continued trying to question it.   I elected to go back upstairs with Wolfram. Meanwhile, the children had been freed.   The boy was 7 and named Freek.   His sister was 5 and named Myrtle.   The apparently knew   (or knew of) Lady Ireena.   They told her that their parents had sold them to the witches in exchange for pies.   (Their parents are named Adolf and Gertrude and I intend to pay them a visit when I have the c...

  8/2/2022 The morning came and we treated ourselves to a well-earned breakfast.   After which, we gathered our things and headed to the house of the former Burgomaster.   A makeshift guard had been set up, and we were led in to see Victor. He was chained in the same cell that his father had used for political opponents.   When the gag was lowered, he croaked for water.   We gave him some and any sympathy I might have had for him quickly evaporated. All in all, he was a pretentious, unlikable little shit.   He didn’t believe that Lady Wachter would give him any significant punishment out of love for his own mother.   He figured that eventually he would be sent to Strahd like his father and Izek.   He was under the belief that Strahd actually liked those who used magic and felt that he could eventually thrive under the old bloodsucker. And he may be right.   He offered no meaningful insight on how to cure Stella Wachter.   He ap...

7/26/2022 Dasco, Lady Ireena and I returned to the Manse.   The others stayed out looking for and helping survivors. After a quick bite to eat, Lady Ireena went to bed for a few hours, and I set about reviewing Victor’s journals until I fell asleep in my chair. I woke sometime around noon or so.   Stiffer than usual, but basically rested.   We were told by one of the staff that Lady Ireena had left earlier this morning to “check on a friend,” and would be back late. The rest of our group eventually returned.   Laz had been instrumental in finding survivors who’d been unable to get to help themselves.   One of them turned out to be Karl Wachter who had been thought dead.   Wolfram was able to use his healing ability on him and apparently save his life, making Lady Wachter even more enamored of our young Paladin. Laz mentioned that while they were all together, Lady Wachter asked to speak with Fin privately.   They stepped out of earshot and exch...