Monday, June 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Session #30

Vallaki

14th of Kythorn, 1496 DR

📅 In-Game: 14th of Kythorn

📅 Played: Monday, May 25, 2026

Dagger spotted his old nemesis from the Abbey across the battlefield, the foul-mouthed little mongrelkind he had nearly killed the last time they met. The creature called him out, locked eyes with him, and misty stepped. Dagger thought quick and jumped back from where he was standing just as the creature reappeared right behind his old spot. Before it could figure out what had happened, Dagger put a crossbow bolt into its back. The creature screamed and misty stepped again, this time to a nearby rooftop to take cover. Meanwhile, Brother Ivan dropped a fireball onto the catapult and caught the loaded ammunition. The chain blast tore through the frame and left the device heavily damaged, knocked out of the fight before it ever got a shot off. That left the Giant, who decided to wade into the fight himself, carrying his massive ram rod as a weapon. Vasilka reappeared and reached out to the fire still burning in the hut below Thorian, the one where he had just dropped one of the patchwork goblins. Her Flaming Sphere took shape from that fire, spinning the flames into a whirlwind that consumed Thorian in midair while he was still in flight. Thorian had to pull back out of the firestorm, badly burned. He and Merrick counter-attacked now that Vasilka had shown herself, landing a devastating dual hit on her as she tried to flee through a portal. For a moment the party could see the Abbott on the other side, his eye full of anger and hatred as his prize was blasted through and landed wounded and unconscious on the stone floor in front of him. He started to say something, then the portal snapped out of existence. With the catapult crippled and Vasilka gone, the werewolves led by Emil Toranescu came running out of the forest and tore into the remaining patchwork goblins. Emil, the one everyone had thought dead from the fall at the wizard's tower, made her way to the party. She told them about the attack on the other Vistani camp and that her people had made sure the survivors got safely to Krezk before she followed this group here. Seeing how badly burned Thorian was, she offered some quick healing. Krutha and Korith kept pushing the line, Krutha still very much naked. Korith made a mad dash for the catapult and the Giant about to fire it, darting through a gap in the enemy ranks like a linebacker who suddenly found himself with the ball, headed straight at the approaching Giant. As he ran through, Ivan let off another fireball at the horde of mongrelfolk Korith was running through, and Korith barely stayed ahead of the blast that cleared most of the mongrelfolk on that flank. He readied himself for the fight, and the Giant came down with two heavy swings that nearly dropped him. Merrick and Thorian then joined their magic again to bury the Giant up to his face, trapping the creature and giving Korith a chance at some much needed payback. Krutha and Dagger rushed up to help. Dagger, with a mischievous grin, uncorked the large bottle of oil he had been carrying, poured it down the Giant's face and throat, and lit him up. The three of them stood back and admired their handiwork as the Giant, trapped in dirt and burning to death, was finished off. With the Giant down, the remaining mongrelfolk turned to retreat, Emil's werewolves hot on their heels. They ran straight into the forces from Vallaki arriving through large portals opened by the Skanders. Alongside them was the detachment from the Village of Barovia. Ireena rode up on her grey gelding: "This is the second time I've come rushing to your aid only to find you didn't need it." Ismark Kolyanovich came up beside her: "You kept your word and saw my sister to safety. Thank you. I'm here for whatever you need." Father Donavich and his now healthy son Doru were with the new arrivals as well. The party decided to take the survivors and move everyone back to the safety of Vallaki, and to hold a council at the Blue Water Inn. Bray and Brom, Urwin and Danika's two eldest sons, agreed to fly out together and warn the remaining Vistani about Strahd's betrayal and tell them to make for Vallaki. At the Inn, a message came in from Van Richten. He and Ezmerelda had managed to take the "old fool," as he called Mordenkainen. A Scroll of Restoration had cleared his mind, but the old wizard was still weak from his ordeal. The Skanders opened another large portal so Van Richten, Mordenkainen, and Ezmerelda could join the council. That is where the session ended, with the party and a growing list of allies gathered around the tables at the Blue Water Inn, ready to decide how best to deal with Strahd and Lady Williams, and unsure who is actually the greater threat.