Sunny Barovia

  Session 153 – Battle for the Swamp Fane part 1 3/11/25 Day 42 – Mid afternoon (Thanks to Abe for sending Arabelle’s visions and Jeff for the transcript!) Swamp Fane As Laz reported, Arabelle had recovered the shuttle from the center of the fane, and the rest of us were collecting those odd flowers as depicted on the stone carving. Arabelle and Lady Ireena were sitting in the middle of the circle in quiet conversation.   Dacso took it upon himself to approach the two.   As he got closer, Arabelle invited him to sit.   (The following is what Dacso later related to me) Arabelle told him she knows he didn’t learn much from speaking with “Mama Eva,” but she can tell him some Madam Eva would have related. “You have suffered loss, as have we all, and you moved quickly to leave that loss behind. You may find that, in this, your willingness to abandon that which no longer serves you has a cost, but there are some choices that cannot be undone. Still, have hope...

1/2/24 The visceral terror that spontaneously erupts upon first seeing a giant spider was forced aside as we lost ourselves in the discipline of combat.   Blades, arrows and arcane energy dug deep into the advancing arachnids, until one wounded survivor scuttled back over the broken edge of the floor, returnig to it’s lair below.   None of us received more than minor wounds. We caught our breath, and it was noted that the rapidity at which the spiders had appeared meant that Laz really hadn’t had a chance to search the room, and perhaps we should try again. Laz himself agreed, and gave his full moral support to whoever decided to go do that.   He’d be waiting back here in the hall to congratulate whoever returned. Wolfram and Dasco elected to go in.   We roped off Wolfram, but Dasco declined any such safety line.   They emerged a few minutes later, indicating there was nothing of value in the remains of that room. We went to the other (presumably) bedroo...

 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...

 1/14/23 The next morning, we geared up to travel back to Vallaki, with the last six children we had saved from the Werewolf den.   The hike was relatively uneventful, and very nearly peaceful.   The smaller children took turns riding on Oloch’s shoulders, which he seemed to enjoy almost as much as the kids. We discussed the sword that Sergei had referenced.   It was almost certainly the one we had seen Tatyana wielding against Strahd in that vision that wasn’t a vision.   For her part, Ireena said she remembered that Sergei had been a fairly powerful paladin and wielded that blade in the service of The Morninglord but had no idea what had become of it afterwards. As we approached the village of Vallaki, Oloch and I split from the group so I could meet with Kasimir.   The rest of the party continued on after agreeing we’d meet at the Manse. We found our way around the base of the hill to Kasimir’s home.   I briefly explained what had occurred w...

2/28/23 The Blue Water Inn.  Busier on the Inside. The Blue Water Inn was hopping, as the kids say.  We only recognized about a third of the faces there.  Another third were Vistani and the rest were strangers to us.  Music was being played, boisterous conversations, the sounds of laughter and the clunk of wooden mugs.  We are recognized, and I see multiple people give little nods of acknowledgement to Nikoli. Drinks are ordered and I find my way back into the kitchen to find Urwin.   The small staff is very busy, but Urwin motions me back.   He’s busy filling stew bowls and cutting hunks of meat and vegetables for another batch.   I tell him I won’t keep him long, but I thought he should know that Muriel lives.   He is happy, but not as happy as I expected, given his reaction right after she fell.   I mention this to him, and he tells me that while he’s happy she lives, she is lost to them.   He doesn’t explain further, and I let...