Sunny Barovia

  6/10/25 Day 43 As there didn’t seem to be a way down from here, we headed back to the main tower where the Heart hung.   Based on what we’d seen so far, I figured that if we managed to destroy the heart, there was very good chance the stairs would stop moving.   However, I felt there was also a chance the entire tower would just collapse on us. We talked about the degree by which the stairs would buck and shift when we were on them, and decided that if we crawled, rather than walked down the stairs, we had a much better chance of getting to the bottom. We began our ignominious descent and reached a landing point about mid-way down.   (Laz, with his superior balance scouted ahead of us.) On this landing there were exits to the battlements on the east and northwest.   Laz took up a position to the east.   As I came down a figure caught my eye out of the northwest exit.   The Chamberlain was standing there, watching us.   “Laz,” I sai...

 4/30/24 Day 38 We got a small fire going.   Ireena cast an additional healing spell on Wolfram, then one on myself.   I told Laz I could go ahead and cast Identify on the staff he found.   He thanked me but told me it wasn’t necessary as he was able to figure it out while I was unconscious.    I noted that he didn’t share what he had learned.   Curious. The next hour or so was reasoned discussion on our next steps.   We had clearly just gotten our asses handed to us.   Laz reminded us (again) that he AND the Chamberlain had advised against entering the Temple.   Dasco argued that since we were here, we might as well check out more.   Kasimir was in agreement with Dasco, but that was no surprise. Wolfram, who had been silent, finally raised his head and spoke.   “There is an evil here.   I don’t mean Barovia in general, because we all know the evil that is throughout these lands.   But here it’s different. ...

3/12/24 Day 38 We looked across the bridge at the Chamberlain.  He was unbothered by the snow and high winds whipping about him. He asked to speak to our representative.  Laz and Wolfram strode forward to meet him. The winds were too loud for us to hear what they were saying, but they did glance back at us on a couple of occasions. After a few minutes, Laz and Wolfram came back, while the Chamberlain strode to the far end of the bridge. They shared with us that the Chamberlain was advising us to turn back.  He said that Kasimir was leading us on a “fools errand” that would result in our useless deaths.  This would displease Strahd. He indicated that those who please Strahd tend to prosper.  If we were to know disappoint him, he will feed on us. The Chamberlain conceded he was not here to physically stop us or fight us.  He was merely informing us of Strahd’s felt this was a poor use of our time. Laz apparently asked the Chamberlain what, exactly, Strahd f...

 3/5/24 (Co-written with Abe) Day 38 That morning, we loaded up, made sure we had what cold weather gear we could get and headed out.   Kasimir met us just outside of Vallaki.   I noticed that while we were all swaddled in poorly-cured, and roughly sewn wolf-fur, supplemented by far more effective gloves, hats and boots provided by the Vistani, that despite his explicit warning that we find appropriate cold-weather clothing, the dusk elf was wearing little more than a loose-fitting traveling tunic, long breeches and water-proofed medium boots. I asked if we needed to stop somewhere and obtain some more weather appropriate clothing for him.  He chuckled and said it wouldn’t be a problem.  I could only assume he had arcane means of assuring he didn’t freeze to death. We started westward on the Old Svalich Way. As we got underway, Kasimir looked nervously back towards the woods to the south that concealed the Vistani camp. “I am loath to depart,” he admitte...

 2/27/24 On the morning of our 35 th day in this land (Has it only been just over a month?!?) I woke to find the staff had prepared an unusually large and hearty breakfast.   I asked what the occasion was, and was told that since we were travelling today, Lady Ireena thought we should have a good meal to start.   I was also told that Lady Ireena and Walter had left early in the morning to conclude an errand, but would be returning soon. I enjoyed the repast, but perhaps not as much as Oloch, who attacked the meal with great gusto, calling for more breakfast wine.   As we finished up, I heard a noise in front of the Manse.   I continued sipping on my tea while I went to check on it. A caravan of about 10 Vistani wagons had pulled up.   Walter was sitting with Luvash and Arrabel on the lead wagon, while Lady Ireena was just approaching the front door.   She told us to gather our things as the Vistani were going to escort us to the gates east of ...

 12/12/23 The next morning, the party filled me in on what I had missed during my evening soak.  Ireena and the others went to the Blue Water and met with Lady Karlova, Silas, Escher and an apparently stunning redhead vampire named Celeste Melanie.  The short version is that the contingent was aware of our encounter with the Chamberlain and were unbothered by it.  They were able to shed a little more light on the situation with Ireena’s brother. When the Burgomaster of Barovia died, Ismark assumed the role, but did so without Strahd’s consent. Since that time, the village has suffered.  While never great to begin with, the infrastructure, economy and general quality of living has plummeted under Ismark’s governance.  Strahd asked Ismark to come to Castle Ravenloft to explain himself and what was going on in Barovia.  Ismark refused, so the Chamberlain was sent to bring him in. If Ismark is unable to explain what is going on in Barovia, or a...

 12/5/23 The fact I’m writing this is evidence that I survived.   In fact, we all did.   But in truth, I don’t really understand why. The Chamberlain moved faster than any person or creature I’d seen move.   He was a blur. Before Wolfram could fully draw his blade, the Chamberlain had put an arrow into Oloch, one in Ireena and missed Wolfram with a third arrow.   He jumped forward onto the back of Strahd’s horse as all my compatriots on the road doublee over in pain (They later told me that the screams that accompany the Chamberlain’s presence suddenly became more intense, like a dagger to the brain).   A mote of light launched forward from the chamberlain’s hand towards the group.   Before I could scream a warning, a fireball erupted in the middle of them, throwing their bodies. As my eyes recovered from the flash, I saw a dark specter of some sort had materialized and was attacking my recovering friends. Oloch was down. There was a brief ...

 11/28/23 That evening, we dined with the Baroness, and she was surprisingly understanding about my desire to find Darius before assisting with their burgeoning textiles industry.   The evening was even rounded out with a bit of pie, courtesy of a rather large berry bush discovered by the lumber crew earlier in the week. The next morning, we headed off to the Tser Pool encampment.   It took most of the morning to get there, and we elected to shave off another hour or so by taking the footpath down the embankment to the camp, instead of the longer road around. We sent Laz about 20-30 yards ahead to scout as we approached the camp.   When we were close, he held one arm up and made a fist.   My compatriots squatted down and moved slightly off the path. I pulled out a piece of cured leather, traced a symbol in the air and spoke the incantation necessary to cast Mage Armor on myself.   A sparkle of light and a slight metallic chime told me I now had some m...

Guest written by Abe Barker The Chamberlain moved through Castle Ravenloft with the assurance of one who had done so for centuries and feared no horror found within. At last, he came to his lordship’s study, noting that the blazing hearth fire was well stocked and all else was in order before he approached his lordship seated at his desk. “Good morning, my lord,” he said as he arrived, bowing respectfully. “What news?” “Much as expected, my friend,” Strahd responded without looking up, for his attention was entirely focused on an exquisite crystal ball upon his desk. “They are energetically exploring the ruins of Berez.” “Word of that reached the castle just after I broke my trance earlier. Do you mean to monitor the entirety of their wanderings?” “They are moving slowly, so no,” Strahd said. “I will finish here, then repast and repose.” “Very good,” the chamberlain nods. “Is there anything I should know?” “Oh, they defeated one of Baba Lysaga’s scarecrows. After that, they wandered ab...