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Session 25: Back Home

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“He didn’t do it on purpose. Leave me alone, get out of my head. Stop it! Let me think! Stop it.” - Mika

Key Developments and Revelations

  • Alexei and Arani decide to leave for Galefore, leaving Aelthar, Mika, and Imolin behind.

  • Jorgen Havarian has a quest for them in case the Revivify goes awry

  • Thalia is returned, and they return to Maxi’s home to reunite the group

  • Arani and Mika have a screaming match before Mika cries herself to sleep after seeing Thalia

  • Thalia has a moment with Aelthar at Neve “Snowball” ‘s burial site

  • Aelthar and Thalia meet Antael, who reveals himself to be Aelthar’s brother

  • Mika finds Aelthar and finally has him open up to her

Full Session Notes

After Aelthar, Arani and Imolin (accompanied by Maxi and Qiran) finished their questioning of Selwyn, Aelthar walks off into the forest to be alone. Arani asks Qiran if he could use his network of spies to investigate any further incidents related to the Chained Oblivion and its followers. Then she goes to update Alexei who’s taking care of a sad Mika inside the teleportation room. Mika goes to rest and while Alexei is alone with Arani she asks her if they should go to Galefore immediately, just the two of them, to get Thalia back. Arani agrees reluctantly after some convincing, even if that convicing took very little effort from Alexei’s side. They do leave a note for Mika, though.

Arriving in Mardahn they immediately start heading towards Galefore. On the way they take note of the steady stream of refugees and soldiers on the paths. They walk without rest, hoping that they could reduce the time they leave Mika alone to the minimum.

Back at Maxi’s Mika is visibly upset after understanding that they left without her and continues working on the forge, while Aelthar continues to be MIA. Imolin helps with investigating the Ziggurat.

Arani and Alexei have a conversation as they walk to Galefore, Arani trying to reassure Alexei that they got her back first, not only because she is useful to the group, but also because she is wanted and needed. Alexei also says that Arani should stop trying to be someone that she obviously isn’t, and that her anger is not wrong, but misdirected. If she directs it at the right target, it’s not a bad thing.

They skip another night and Alexei trips from the exhaustion. She sees a quick flash of images, a short vision of the body of one of Wolf’s companions, The Dragon, falling to the ground and a rose growing out from the wound. She also hears the words “False Warlock” in a voice that is familiar to her.

Alexei and Arani arrive at the tower shortly after, making their way through the maze easily after they’ve went through it before. At the base of the tower they find the same teleportation circle and Alexei once again hears a voice in her head. The mage welcomes them in and tells them to select the chair symbol to find him in his audience chamber.

After they explain the reason they came to him for, he agrees to cast wish and get Thalia back, but asks for a favor in return in case the spellcasting exhausts him enough to lose the ability to cast wish ever again. He asks them to go to Avernus, find the lair of the Efreeti Vrakir and steal a Ring of Wish and a Tome from him. Anything else they find is theirs to keep. Jorgen is going to get them in and out of Avernus as long as they get those items for him. This favor is only obligatory if he exhausts himself too much and is of short notice as he doesn’t know for how much longer Vrakir will keep those items in that specific lair.

Arani and Alexei agree, and when Jorgen asks them if he should ask for any changes for Thalia they also ask him to make her taller.

Thalia is succefully returned, and Jorgen keeps his ability to cast Wish. After a warm reunion, Jorgen gives Alexei a Sending Stone so they are able to contact him in case they’d still want to take up his quest. He also gives them a scripture for the teleportation circle of his tower.

Back at Maxi’s, Aelthar returns from the forest, Mika is still working her forge when Alexei, Arani and thalia return.

Finding Maxi and Arani’s siblings at the dinner table, Alexei catches Thalia up on everything that was going on while she was gone, and Arani leaves to get Mika and Aelthar back inside. She goes and finds Mika first, but the happy message turns into a screaming match as Mika yells accusations of being left behind.

Mika breaks down when she sees Thalia again and cries herself into unconsciousness. Thalia and Alexei carry her to her bed, Alexei staying to watch over her and Thalia leaves again to find Aelthar.

She finds him at a burial side, sleeping on top of Nocturne. Thalia wakes him by trying to pick him up and they have a short conversation before everyone gets a message adressing them individually by name. It’s an invitation to Myrida Aeca to join the Emperor’s adress and receive a pardon after the true traitors have been revealed. They are to be thanked for defeating the foes of the Emperor and the Myridon Dynasty. This ceremony is to be held the 17th of Calor and failure of participation will nullify their pardon and no reward is to be received.

Mika awoken by this adress, has a short conversation with Alexei, apologizing for being angry at them for leaving. They exchange a few more words before Mika goes to find Arani. She also apologizes to her, which is quickly accepted and hugged out as both of them tear up. Mika shares her worries about Aelthar with Arani. She is scared that Aelthar is hurting and is going to break if he doesn’t allow anyone to help him. Arani offers her support if she wants to go and tell Aelthar what she had told her and together they go to find him.

In the meantime Aelthar takes Thalia to an abandoned mill where they find Antael waiting for them. He greets them and says that he comes from Epithon and is here to take Aelthar back with him to his family. Antael offers him a seat before revealing that, the people Aelthar calls his parents are not his real family and that he should have been raised with him but was stolen by the Doryu’s. The magic they wield is of the Visilis family and proves that Aelthar really belongs with them. Antael is his brother and his task is to bring Aelthar back home with him. The Doryu family who took Aelthar know nothing of his dragonmarked blood, they know nothing of his marks.

Thalia confront Antael to allow the effects of Zone of Truth on him to reveal if he really speaks the truth, which he allows without argument. He accuses Thalia of twisting Aelthar’s mind and for speaking for him knowing nothing of the situation. They begin a discussion about the true meaning of family before Aelthar interjects and refuses Antael’s offer to go with him. He promised to help with something and can’t leave until it’s done. Antael seems visibly upset about this and is about to leave, saying that he will find Aelthar again. Aelthar says that he is sorry the Doryu’s didn’t take Antael as well as Thalia antagonizes Antael further, leading to him pulling a sword to her throat. He threatens her, Thalia seemingly unimpressed as Aelthar grows visibly more upset.

Antael leaves. Aelthar turns to Thalia and accuses her of speaking on his behalf and putting her life at risk even though she just got it back. He then demands to be left alone and Thalia apologizes before leaving.

Mika and Arani find the burial site. After reading the words on the grave Mika takes off yelling for Aelthar. They shortly find Thalia who tells them of what happened. Mika still continues to Aelthar and Arani follows to keep an eye on her.

Mika finds Aelthar crying, but when he notices her presence he gets up, wipes the tears away and pretend like he is not upset. Mika yells at him to show his feelings and starts to fight with another side of her who screams that Aelthar has killed their family. Mika tries to argue against it but even Aelthar admits to what he did, getting more upset. Mika yells at him to show his feelings and let them help him. Aelthar crumbles, finally allowing himself to open up and allowing Mika to hug him.

Nocturne steps up to Arani. She scratches his chin as they keep watch.

In the meantime, Alexei has gone to sleep and in her dreams she sees another vision. She sees the rose growing from the wound in The Dragon’s chest, and in the background, partially obscured by the shadows, a figure holding a smoking gun, with dark clothes decorated with raven feathers. Seeing this man, Alexei gets a feeling that this is who the voice referred to as the “False Warlock”.

DATE: 20/02/2024

In-game Date Start: 9th of Calor, 959 A.D.

In-game Date Finish: 13th of Calor, 959 A.D.

Players Present

  • Jeremy (Alexei)

  • Oskar (Mika)

  • Sari (Arani)

  • Sydney (Thalia)

  • Trym (Aelthar)

Subbed Characters

Completed Quests

  • Get Thalia back

Obtained Quests

  • Steal a Ring of Wish and a Tome from the lair of the Efreeti Vrakir

  • fix Aelthar’s family issues

Locations Visited

  • Jorgen’s Tower

Important NPCs Interacted With

  • Jorgen Havarian

  • Antael Visilis

Wall of Shame

  • Oskar - 5 min

  • Sari - 8 min

  • Trym - 1 hour 47 min

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Example

“We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto!”

Key Developments and Revelations

  • After resting with the caravan, woke up in a strange land, full of eerieness, malice and fog.

  • On finding a path and following it, they come to the Gates of Barovia.

  • Here the party meets Strahd Von Zarovich for the first time. He insinuates that he knows everyone in the party except for Sunny.

  • They follow the path, see a group of buildings, then beyond that a larger village overlooked by cliffs and a castle on it.

  • Making their way to the group of buildings, the fog seems to follow them, and Kronkus & Sunny get lost in it momentarily, with their being some time dilation happening whilst in there.

  • Making it to the hamlet, they find all but one of the buildings empty and dark. Two children rush to them, saying there’s a monster in their house, and that their parents are keeping it at bay in the basement, and their baby brother is upstairs.

  • The party move into the house, finding that this seems to belong to the Durst family. Moving into a main room, they hear the sounds of a party from beyond a nearby door.

  • Opening the door, all lights in the house go out, no people are in the room beyond. The front door and gate close and lock on their own. A wolf growls from somewhere in the dark.

Last Time, in Barovia…

Arrival in Barovia

  • The party joined the caravan heading out of Daggerford. Each one joined for a different reason, and none knew the others.

  • On the first night, the caravan rested early, having been delayed from its set off by a latecomer to the caravan.
    The latecomer, Marko, had setup a campfire with food and drink, and one by one offered, convinced or cajoled the party to join him at his fire.

  • The night was spent with everyone learning little bits about the other, drinking, eating, and being merry. Late, Marko crawled under his wagon for sleep, and invited the party to rest by his warm fire, which they did.

  • When they awoke, they were not in the same place. The wagon, Marko, even the caravan itself was gone. No tracks or signs of movement in the immediate surroundings. It was if they had been picked up and placed here.

  • All of their possessions were gone as well, bar a few items that were kept close to them while they rested.

  • Taking stock of this new land, they found it eerie, almost dripping with maliciousness. There is a thick fog, swirling as if with a life of its own. The trees seem different, twisted, gnarled and unnatural. The sun, while present, seems to have trouble penetrating cloud and fog, and does not give much light or warmth.

  • While the party is taking stock of their situation, Kronkus finds that the long-silent voices have started whispering to him again.

  • Sunny reached out to the Triple-Fish God, and found his connection was muted, but there was a new, strong core in that feeling that’s never been there before, almost certainly connected to the Triple-Fish God.

  • Moving around, they find a rutted path leading east/west. Westward leads into a thick wall of shifting fog, east has the fog thinning. They head east for a few hours.

Meeting Strahd

  • Ahead, the forest slightly parts, and they come to a huge stone wall, with a large metal gate in the middle. Out of the front of it, a pack of wolves are tearing strips off a very dead body.

  • Sunny casts Thunderwave above the wolves, in an effort to scare them. They reel back for an instant before they turn to face the party, almost undaunted by the noise. A larger wolf then snarls and pads towards the party, teeth bared.

  • As the large wolf lunges to attack, his is called to heel by a voice. A man appears at the top of the wall, who effortlessly walks down the side of the wall as if were normal, flat ground. As he gets to the ground and walks through the wolves, they let him pass. He also passes the large wolf, ruffling its fur.

  • Walking up to the party, he introduces himself as Strahd Von Zarovich, ruler of Barovia, and welcomes them to his land. He acknowledges them as the latest batch of adventurers to be brought here, more pawns in the game.

  • He looks at each member of the party, including the still hidden Wilfyr, attempting to meet their gaze. Those that do, feel drawn into that gaze, with the world around them starting to spin away. There is only Strahd. Strahd doesn’t hold them in this gaze for long.

  • He speaks briefly to each member of the party. His speech infers that he knows each of the party members to some degree, or about their past. Except Sunny. Sunny seems to be the enigma to Strahd.

  • He warns the party that they will find no rest or success in his lands, that it obeys his command. He also warns them to not meddle in his affairs, and that if they do not, then their stay won’t be unpleasant.

  • With that, he turns and strides away towards the gates, swirling his cloak around him and turns into a cloud of bats that then flies through the bars and off into the air beyond. As Strahd leaves, the wolf pack dissipates,into the forest.

  • Inspecting the dead body in the road, they find it horrifically mauled. On closer inspection, they find a crumpled, partially torn Kolyan Indirovich’s Letter that Wilfyr takes.

  • The party then pushes open the gates, and walk through. The gates closes and locks behind them. Beyond is more forest.

Finding Shelter

  • After a little while, the path comes to the top a rise, giving the party a clear view of a Barovian Basin of sorts. In the far distance can be seen a town. Next to that are some cliffs, with an ominous castle at its heights, overlooking the town. About halfway to this town, there seems to be a small group of houses. Seeing signs of civilisation, the party heads down the path into the valley beyond.

  • As they’re walking, they notice that the wall of fog is forming up thicker and thicker behind them. Its almost like its keeping pace with them, slowing down and speeding up when they do. Kronkus & Sunny attempt to interact with the fog and walk back into it.

  • They lose all visibility, and cannot hear, touch or see each other. They try to leave the way they came, but cannot get out, only walk into more fog. After 10 minutes, both of them exit the fog from exactly the same place that they entered into it. To the rest of the party, they have been waiting for them for an hour.

  • Continuing on, the rutted road finally gives way to gravel and stone, as they draw closer to the hamlet of houses. The houses are dark, boarded up, and there are no signs of life. Except one.

  • As the party moves between the buildings, the sound of a child sobbing draws their eyes, and they see a small boy and a slightly older girl walk towards them.

  • They are wailing, and after being frightened by Kronkus’ approach (due to his unnatural visage) cry that there is a monster in the house, pointing to the lit up house.

  • Most of the party dash into the house, while the kids say that their parents are in there, keeping the monster trapped in the basement. They also say their baby brother is still stuck up in his nursery. Sunny tries to convince the kids to come with the party into the house, but they refuse, growing more and more scared of going back inside the house.

  • All but Kronkus move into the foyer finding family portraits across the walls, labelled as the Dursts. Kronkus remains outside to try and convince the children to come with them, but they run off. He turns and joins the party in the house.

  • As they all step into a large main room, the sounds of a party can be heard coming from another room, from beyond a nearby door. Arkemon retrieves the longsword from above the mantlepiece, and goes back and retrieves the heraldic shield from the foyer.

  • Wilfyr finds a door on the opposite side of the room to where the party noises were coming from, and as he approached, heard the growls of wolves coming from beyond it.

  • Arkemon warns against opening that door, and instead opens the door that should lead to the party they can hear. As he opens the door, the sounds stop. There is no people in the room beyond. All the torches, fireplaces and candles in the house go out as the party is plunged into darkness.

  • Behind them, the gate and door into the entrance to the house close on their own, and lock. And another wolf growls in the distance.

DATE: 13/04/2021

In-game Date Start:

In-game Date Finish:

Players Present

  • Adam (Milo)

  • Alex (Arkemon)

  • Ben (Elgin)

  • Chad (Sunny)

  • Russ (Delta)

  • Stephen (Wilfyr)

Subbed Characters

  • Everyone was present for this session.

Completed Quests

  • No completed quests

Obtained Quests

  • Leave This Land

Places Experienced

  • Gates of Barovia

  • Barovian Basin

  • Durst Manor

Important NPCs Interacted With

  • Strahd Von Zarovich

  • Rose Durst

  • Thorn Durst

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Memorable Quotes

The best quotes of the Session:

“When everyone else is angry, it’s fine, but when I’m angry I get punished. It’s not fair.” - Arani

“What if [Aelthar] breaks?” - Mika

“Then we’re there to patch him back together.” - Arani

“You left me. My mind is breaking and I don’t know who I am. You know who I am, but you left.” - Mika

“Do you want to die again? Is that what that was?!” - Aelthar

“No, Aelthar, I don’t want to die, but I would if it meant keeping you safe.” - Thalia

“He didn’t do it on purpose. Leave me alone, get out of my head. Stop it! Let me think! Stop it.” - Mika

“I know I’m a liability. I know (dont remember what else she said) but don’t hide your feelings. Let me in.” -Mika

“Okay… I will.” - Aelthar