Monday, August 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM

Session #36

Amber Temple/Strahd's Heart

19th of Kythorn, 1496 DR

📅 In-Game: "20th of Kythorn"

📅 Played: Monday, August 31, 2026

The players having picked themselves up after casting Nuclear Blast, spent a few minutes healing before making their way down the stairs through the eastern chanmbers and into the ancient library. They pass burning bunks and corpses of the defeatured followers of Strahd. They spend a few minutes searching the ancient library, with Merrick lamenting the loss of so much knowledge in the Fireball. Korrith seeing an old chest in the corner goes and cracks it open carelessly and getting damaged by an Acid trap, just to find the chest empty. At this point they decided to face the final group of defenders and deal with the Heart of Strahd. As they come down the stairs into the ruins. They see an older male Elf.. He introduces himself as Rahadin and tells the players he is allowed to offer the players a deal. That if they agree to leave, Strahd will allow them and the disloyal Vistani safe passage out of Barovia. He will also allow them to take the item they seek. Ivan decides that isn't a good deal and opens up stunning several of the unseen Wives of Strahd hiding high in the crags above the players. Rahadin attack Ivan, followed by Korrith coming to Ivans defeanse and landing several crushing blows on Rahadin driving him down to his knees.. Dagger not one to pass up an opportunity shot Rahadin with a pinning shot pinning him to the ground in that prone condition, Greggor followed that up with a shot further reducing his movement. Meanwhile One of the wives appears behind Merrick and attacks. After landing several claw attacks and biting him - Merrick sends the attack back into her.. This enraged her so much she picked Merrick up and through him into the lava behind her. As soon as he hit, he teleported to safety and began rolling around on the ground putting out his burning robes. Thorian and Krutha then moved in to attack the first Wife that just went after Merrick. Rahadin bamfs from his prone condition to behind Greggor attacking him with his poisoned blades. Korrith rushes over to finish Rahadin saying "I'm not done with you yet!" and proceeds to skewer him with his massive swrod, lifting him the air and quickly splitting him in half, spraying guts and blood all over Greggor.. Just then two more Wives appear, one behind Thorian and the other behind Dagger. Korith beats down the first Wife as Merrick angles a shot and teleports her into the same lava spot she had deposited him ending her. The second wife behind Thorian attacked dealing massive damage and drawing his life force through her bite. Thorian then turned around and opened up on her followed by Krutha Charging up to the stairs to help Thorian. Dagger feeling the attack slamming into him from behind, followed by the burn of a vampires bite, uses his amulet to misty step behind the third wife where he returned the favor in with interest.. The third wife spun around on Dagger - Thinking to try his luck again - Dagger misty stepped once again, but she suspected this move and in a flash she turned grabbing Dagger by the throat. He deals several quick stabs at her, before she lifts him off the ground and crushes his throat and drinking his life force to heal up and dropping his dead body to the ground at her feet. The rest of the party enraged descend on the third wife and slaughter her.. Korith then taked her corpose and throws her the final standing Wife accidently slamming the body into Krutha instead.. Seeing this, the Second wife attacked Krutha, biting him between his shoulder blades - Krutha screams out in aggravation and pain - "You bitch I can't reach there!" -> Thorian seeing her attack has her distracted - blasts her with a massive witchbolt casting - dropping the final Wife. As the battle comes to an end, Korrith picks up the Wolvesbane Dagger from his fallen friend and slams it into Strahds Heart.. Merrick quickly casts some preservation spells on Dagges body and places him safely in his hat.. The players then explore the area and the strange metal portal that shows what appears to be a room in Castle Ravenloft.. Thorian having studied Netheril magic and artifacts in the library of the Wachterhaus recalled reading about this device, that it can transport people not just across space, but across time. The book didn't have alot of details, but it did mention that the portals when not engaged act as mirrors, but when engaged must connect to another mirror creating a bridge of sorts. The players realize, this might be their best chance to get to Ravenloft to face Strahd before his armies can join him... The players then retire to the caves where they made camp barely a few hours ago. They lick their wounds and reach out via the stone to let their allies know the deed is done. Mordenkanien let's them know that Strahd and his forces had attacked Vallaki that evening as the sun set and then just as suddenly fled the battlefield, his forces retreating behind him, heading back toward Ravenloft. Had the players not destroyed the heart when they had - the town likely would have fallen. The players asked that the "book club" reach out to Lady Williams to ask that she either keep the portal open or learn how to activate so she can open it for them. Mordenkanien agrees to teleport to them with the Sun Sword after he recovers.. But if he does this - he won't be able to join them in their fight. With the planning fully under way - little do they players know - listening at the door is the forth and final wife of Strahd. Listening to them as they make their plans and consult their allies.... This is where we ended this session..