The Over View

  As we return for the final chapter, our intrepid adventurers are still in the crypt with the reincarnation of the evilest creature that Barovia has ever seen.   The demon from the netherworld hovers above the sarcophagus of Lord Strahd, who reposses inside with a purple magical shield protecting him from all.   This unearthly fiend blasts us all back against the wall or, in Castiel's case, through the doorway and back into the crypt.   We begin the battle and notice that we are striking and blasting it with our many abilities, but it occurs to us that we aren't really doing that much damage.   Then, out of nowhere, a pillar of light penetrates through the building and strikes our enemy.   We notice that he crumples under its radiance and that gives us hope.   We surge forward and continue to press on.   Yet, again, we feel that no matter what we do, we are not able to strike this beast down.   Then, as if on cue, another pillar of light...

  As we finished last weeks battles, we thought that we had vanquished our foe but alas, ‘twas not so.   But I am getting ahead of myself.   As we left the Shadows behind, we enter another section of the water-logged dungeons and find a cell room.   In the cells, we come across the bones of the wizard friend that had traveled with Dorol...did I say friend?   Boy did Eravan really misread that connection and all came to light when Dorol, upon seeing the corpse, runs it through with his sword (And I thought Paladins were benevolent).   We also come across a prisoner who begs us for help.   Dante breaks him free and he joins on...cause.   Well at least we thought he would join us but soon after we leave the cell room, he is no where to be found.   Sneaky little imp! Before we continue too much farther, Castiel, thinking ahead, grants us all the ability to walk on water.   Grateful for that boon, we continue down the corridor in hopes of f...

 This episode of the adventure finds our weary travelers exhausted and almost to the breaking point, yet they are determined to help the people of Barovia and free them from the tyranny of Lord Strahd.  When we last ended, the group had met the forgetful librarian of the Amber Citadel.  They help him understand that they are here and have been searching for a way to defeat Lord Strahd.  He who forgets his name, lets them know that there is much knowledge in this library, but he doesn't know how to find much.  Feeling a little tired of being in the citadel, they ask him if he can show them the way out and he points them in the right direction but not before deciding to help them by opening the vault for them to see if there is anything there that could help them on their path. As they arrive to the vault, He who forgets his name needs the groups help to open the huge double doored vault.   He steps back and as the door opens, we are greeted with the glimme...

 As we started this episode in the depths of the cathedral, our adventurers are resting in a vacant room.  During the rest, we decide to plan our next move in searching the halls, but Virgil is really ready to go take on Strahd and feels that this "search" for more treasure is a waste of time.  Dante, on the other hand, feels that it would be wiser to see what we can find in our searches.  Maybe we can find something that will help us defeat our cursed host.  Their discussion becomes a heated argument in which Dante calls out Virgil’s "eagerness" for battle and basically accuses him of leading the Crimson Order to their deaths.  This does not sit well with Virgil and he decides to hang back while the rest of us go check out the room next to ours where we hear voices.  Eravan decides to try and play the "lost circus performers" scheme as he knocks on the door and see if he can avoid a fight.  As the door is thrown open, the small group sees a band ...

  As we follow our heroes, they had an action-packed evening!    Upon their return to the Dragon Manor, divided into 2 groups, the first group (Eravan, Castiel and Banshee) decide to take the skull into the house in search of the ghostly dragon.   They call out for him but don't find him in the house.   They do find a very hung over Dorol who comes to help them and reminds them that the painting that they saw earlier showed a beacon of light shooting forth from the mausoleum behind the manor.   So, they take it back there and as they arrive, the doors to the mausoleum are made of solid stone and won't budge.   They try many different things to get it open but what finally does it is trying to blow it up.   Banshee uses Eldritch Blast, Dorol shoves and Eravan uses thunder to finally get it open.   As the last bit of the door crumbles to the ground they see the vast skeletal remains of the Silver Dragon without its skull.   They immediatel...

"Death is nearer than you think." What a night! As we contemplated our next step and how we wanted to approach the other 5 undead in the Dragon manor, Dante feeling dare devilish walks across the hallway and kicks open the door, sending it flying into the room. The room is elegantly decorated with a long table where 5 undead knights in tattered chainmail armor are seated. Only one lifts up his head and declares in a weary voice, "who disturbs the rest of the dead?" Thrown off his guard, Dante decides to speak with them. We all enter the room and Castiel sees the crystal chandelier hanging above them and says, "Ooooo, shiny." The speaking knight warns him not to touch. We find out that these knights only fight at the behest of Vladimir and since we took him out already that we don't have to worry about them. We decide to leave them in peace (Too bad Eravan doesn't know the Mend cantrip to fix their door). As we leave the manor, we come upon a casket...

Last night was action packed!   In the beginning we were leaving Barovia at dawn to head to Berez.   Castiel awoke to find himself not at Wizards winery but in Barovia and Ervin sitting by his bed.   The transformation was complete; he was now a raven lycanthrope.   Ervin reported that the winery was flourishing with new life thanks to him. As we left town, we traveled for about an hour, sharing the mounts that we got.   We traveled under another cloudy sky, wondering if it would rain at any moment.   We came upon a cope of trees as the windy path took us through it.   Knowing that danger could lurk behind any tree, Dante was vigilant and noticed that we were not alone just before we were attacked!   Eravan was the first to get bitten by a giant wolf.   A dire wolf almost the size of the horse that we were sitting on!   It was a strange fight because at first the wolves came at us one at a time instead of all at once but we fought vali...