Dolls and Wine - CoS

We decided to go to the Barron's home to hear what he had to say. We were not impressed with his political posturing and accusing another noble (his neighbor across the street, noble woman Watcher) of trying to usurp his position in the city of Vallaki, which he only has because Lord Strahd placed his ancestor there many generations ago. We also didn't like it that he makes the people come, upon threat of being imprisoned and humiliated, to the bi-weekly festivals...oh yea, and they have to help pay for them.

We do agree to help, begrudgingly, because 2 of his servants have gone missing and Issac, the Barron's bodyguard, purports to have seen the Lady Watcher summon a demon. We first decide to search the Barron's house first and talk with his son, Victor, who has a way with the servants. Maybe he knows something. In short, it was Victor who made the 2 servants disappear because he has been dabbing in magic from a spell book that he found in his dad's library (incidentaly, Eravan asks Dante if he can see the book to study it during the next rest). He created hap-hazard glyphs and one of them was on a old carpet where he created a teleportation glyph. He tested it on the servants and it worked but they haven't returned. We took the book and destroyed the rug We then went back to the Inn and got a good night's rest and then left the next morning at dawn to the winery. Upon arrival, we meet the owner and family hiding in the woods outside of the winery. They have been kicked out by a group of evil druids. We decide to help (Dorol quite emphatic about returning ownership to the family) and as we approach, the BATTLE BEGINS!!! The winery is protected by more than a dozen of those stick creatures that can lash out with throny vines or sling needle like thorns at us from a distance. Virgil enjoys the acupuncture since he is in his wintery mood and it kind of lightens his mood. We make it inside the winery and confront the first druid and another host of the stick creatures. We are in the warehouse of the winery and there are huge vats of wine fermenting and a walkway that hugs the walls above the open vats. Dante strikes first landing a solid crossbow hit in her gnarly thigh and then Virgil and finally Dorol finish her off (a sweet hand axe throw to the chest and she falls into one of the big barrels of wine). But that doesn't end the fight! those twiggy creatures come out of the woodwork and attack us ferociously. Eravan, who is last to enter the fray, strikes with fire and then retreats back into the hallway (What? I don't like needles.) With awe and a fear that his friends will get hurt, Eravan unleashes a barrage of scorching fire rays and a fire bolt...and then he retreats again in the hallway for cover. Castiel also unleashes fire upon the quick to ignite woody stick figures. But, Virgil and Dante with a surge of strength take down 3 apiece and finish the battle! Castiel,, taking a leaf out of Virgil book, turns the druid into a zombie to do his bidding for the next...hour or so. We then search the rest of the warehouse and find that this also has rooms attached to it that belong to the family. In our search of the rooms, we come across 2 other druids and their vine companions but sword swinging blood hunter and Ranger make quick work of them (Nate was so sad that he couldn't unleash their full power). In the end, Castiel took ownership of a cool new staff and Virgil was given a double ended flame tongue scimitar. That brought him out of his wintry gloom (I think Dante did that just to snap it out of him).