Ravenloft

Expedtion to Castle Ravenloft


Session 6 (G'Jun, Serratis/Chernovog,Rediculis, Ele?)

Traveling north down the road as it winds through the mountains, the party comes across a traveller coming south. They inquire about where he came from. He says his name is Ele? and (he speaks their language) that he had fog surround him nearly a month ago out of (what city did you want Levi) and after coming here and wandering through a forest for nearly two weeks he found a road that lead to a town of strange speaking people. Finally with effort he found out that this land was called Borca and that he was in the town of Levkarest. Heading east he also entered another land called Barovia and a town called Krezk, following a road north east he found a huge freshwater lake and a small town of Vallaki.

They ask him to join up and the party resumes their ascent toward Mount Baratok. Four days through the wood and they find themselves where they will need climbing gear to ascend further. Airwalks all around and endure elements to combat the numbing cold. They get up to a disused cart path that switchbacks all the way up. By the end of the day they reach the top and the monastery.

It sits in the center of large ledge facing the south and a breathtaking view of Barovia. The double doors stand open and the old gardens are skeletons of their former glory. Ele checks the great room beyond and finds nothing. Stairs up and one set down, they decide on up and begin checking the personal chambers of the monks. All the rooms save one have the same items for the most part. A thatch bed, small table, stool, and a pot belly stove. All showing signs of age and disuse. A few have some religious texts, histories, holy symbols they the party do not know. On the upper floors they find a small scribal library for copying books, and more simple furnishings.

Except for one room. The contents are vastly different. A sword in the corner, many books piled on a large desk, cloak, some leather armor, and other personal items. A blood spot near the middle belies some conflict in the past. Also when Serratis/Chernovog enters he senses that this room has been warded. With some research they find that this room has been warded against undead mostly but more particularly vampires. Even though they are weakened they are still quite potent. Deciding to use this as a safe room the party rests.
Next day they continue searching the upper floors. Then heading downstairs they find some storage, but then a large crypt section. Then at the end of the crypt they find a passageway leading into a step down octagonal shaped room. Firstly they notice ten dead monks on the floor. Their skeletal remains showing age. Then a large sarcophogus in the center of the room. G'Jun moves forward and the party spots three ghostly monks. The minotaur attempts to talk to one and all three manifest and horrify them. Serratis/Chernovog falls paralyzed from lack of strength, as the party attacks. Then the three ghosts touch the the others and they too are paralyzed. Feeling apathetic and depressed and full of despair. The ghosts drain them all of strength.
The sun outside moves from behind the clouds, a toad snaps at a gnat by a small brook where a trout swims lazily. Day turns into night. Night again to day. And everyone in the party heals some strength back. Serratis helps the cleric move out of his armor and they leave to the saferoom. Restorations and then the party returns and rests.

Serratis and Rediculis use hide from undead and move in and use Undeath to Death and then leave quickly. Then next day hide from undeads again and they move through the tomb room to a set of stairs down. They find two more sarchophagus' but also a magical hidden secret door. Rediculis returns to the saferoom because he will have nothing to do with bashing open tombs. Bashing the door open a huge earthquake suddenly shakes violently and half of the monastery shifts about 10 feet down. The door opens to dangling silver threads so thick that they are like hair. They fill the room beyond. Serratis/Chernovog studies the magic and determines that these were used in a rare form of abjurationto to suppress magical energies. Never to this extent though. G'Jun walks in and using his arm is able to keep about a five foot area to see. He comes to a alcove and a ledge that holds:

After spending a few days identifying items they decide that they will only take the hourglass with blood in it then they return the other items and two ghost appear and this time they talk to them and say that they will use these against Strahd and the ghost say that they give them freely if they will used to right injustice. The party asks what is in the tomb. The ghost tells them that it is another weapon against Strahd. Leo Dilisnya, who came here to the monastery to do battle with Strahd. We were punished for allowing his sanctuary and doomed to watch over his grave for eternity. The party moves to open the tomb and it takes all four to pry off the lid and a withered hand grasps the lid and shoves it away a wild eyed, emaciated, humanoid flings itself at the minotaur and tries to bite him. Rediculis tries to turn it and succeeds and the vampire that was Leo vanishes into mist.

Until next week...