Session 29 - Seeing the Trees for the Forest

 Pallas rejoins the party just as they are searching Yester Hill for anything of value. The party try to extinguish the burning effigy of Strahd but decide to let it burn out, and instead investigate the bleeding tree that had recently birthed the tree blight, Baromar considers trying to douse the flames with Druid bodies at this stage. 

The Gulthias tree they see is healing from where the tree smashed out of it, and Mulberry speaks with it to discover that its sole purpose is to birth blights, they discover a dead adventurer at the base who looks like he was ensnared by a recently birthed blight and had been attacked by many more throughout the years. Wedged into the tree near his skeletal hand is an Axe with an ornately carved handle. They remove the axe and ask the tree if that was a relief. They tree conveyed images of the equivalent of a splinter....I guess a reverse splinter and gratitude for removal. 

The party send Snowy Owl and Pallas' raven out to patrol the area in case of incoming aggressors, the birds have now been nicknamed Heckle and Jeckel.

Grimdur attacks the tree with the axe he removed and finds that while it damages the tree and causes it to bleed, the strike is odd, like the impact of it had no effect but the trees flesh grabbed the axe blade, they explore other options and in the end destroy the tree its last vision to Mulberry is one of thanks for ending its long journey.

Adrian leaves to warn his family of the incoming tree blight so they can prepare to do battle with it and The rest of the party have a long uneventful rest in a tiny hut put up by Snowball near the remains of the burning effigy and once its extinguished they decide to search the ashes, to find the gem they had been seeking.

As they turn to leave Baromar decides to collect a head from a elven druid in the bag of holding, after this they notice that the newly birthed tree blight appears to have stopped on its journey north and is in a tree form in the middle of the path.

They attack, with flaming swords, the sunblade, firebolts and the new axe and manage to take it down after a very confusing strategy from Baromar, along the lines of punching but missing, then missing again and using patient defense on a tree that is almost dead. The tree is distracted as to why someone would do this and is eliminated. The party collect two vials of tree blight sap and head to the winery to return the gem.

Davian greets them, with his family who look ready to battle the tree blight and is delighted that they have taken the tree out. He is ecstatic with the return of the gem which is the strongest positive emotion any of the party have seen in their time in Barovia. "The People of Barovia Thank you, you will not pay for lodging food or wine at my Family's Inn in Vallaki ever again."

He and his family get on to making wine and Pallas tells the party that while he was out he received a letter:

Pallas,

It has come to my attention that you seek out the shrine for the mother of night. 

The location of this shrine has been long lost. I have however heard in my research of the village of Barovia’s long bloody history of a house enchanted with dark magic that may hold a clue to the location of the shrine. 

Seek out the death house in the Village of Barovia and search it thoroughly and you will find the key to what you seek. 

With your help we will defeat the tyrant Strahd and his evil grasp on Barovia. 

Yours in secret allegience 

Kennick

P.S I trust you to keep my identity safe, it would surely mean my death if the other Vistani found out I was aiding you. 

The party decide to head to the village of Barovia and investigate the death house. 

They travel to Vallaki and meet up with Ismark, telling him of their destination he pales and refuses to enter that house, telling them of its history, that it has been burned to the ground many times and appears to regrow from the ashes to its original state, how the occupants with cultists who practiced dark magic and believed Strahd was sent to them as a messiah, and how they trapped some of his adventurers (playthings) in the house long ago and killed them with invoked Strahds rage and he destroyed the owners.

They decide it sounds fun and decide to head there to check it out. Arriving at the house they enter the gates and approach the door. The house seems lifeless, and once they get within 10ft of the walls the mists of Barovia close in around the house, stopping the party from leaving the property boundary. 

They look in the windows and spot two children playing, who see them and run out the front door. The Children introduce themselves as Rose and Thorn, and explain there is some kind of monster in the basement of the house and their baby brother is asleep on the third floor. The kids explain the way to the basement is through the attic. 

Snowball misty steps up to the third floor where there is a balcony, he is face with double doors with stained glass windows that he cant see through. He opens the door and sees a specter who looks like a nanny leaning over a crib in the room. 

Snowball casts invisible on himself and sneaks into the room, the nanny however hears him and follows his footsteps. he opens the door of the room and sees a hallway with a circular staircase heading down to the lower levels, and a suit of armor standing guard. 

Meanwhile the rest of the party enter the front door and start to work their way up the staircase, most of them stop on the second floor and inspect a portrait of the family.

Snowball continues to sneak his way around checking what looks to be the baby's bedroom, but the crib is missing presumably this is the nanny's quarters and the bed can be moved from this room to he bedroom as needed. 

Snowball sneaks into the master suite where he discovers a portrait of the man and lady of the house. 

Pallas on the second floor investigates a room which contains a library, he is very excited to discover this room and immediately picks up a book, only to have it fall to ash. He looks at the book titles and sees things like "an Economic history of Barovia", "Trading with Vallaki the perils and pitfalls" and "the Happy Tales of Hippity Hoppity the bunny of Barovia." the latter seeming so out of place he tries to pick it up and finds that its a hinged lever that opens a secret door. 

Inside the door is another collection of books, this time they appear to be more arcane in nature, but after careful inspection Pallas realizes they rites and rituals described in the books to summon evil demons are actually ones used by charlatan traveling magic salesmen to create love potions, and potions of instant puddles etc.  

Inside this room is also a chest with a dead body draped inside. The body looks to have triggered a poison dart trap and paid the price, the trap no longer a danger Pallas sees the chest contains some scrolls which he pockets, and a letter in the hand of the dead man. The letter reads

My most pathetic servant,

I am not a messiah sent to you by the Dark Powers of this land. I have not come to lead you on a path to immortality. However many souls you have bled on your hidden altar, however many visitors you have tortured in your dungeon, know that you are not the ones who brought me to this beautiful land. You are but worms writhing in my earth.

You say that you are cursed, your fortunes spent. You abandoned love for madness, took solace in the bosom of another woman, and sired a stillborn son. Cursed by darkness? Of that I have no doubt. Save you from your wretchedness? I think not. I much prefer you as you are.

Your dread lord and master,

Strahd von Zarovich

Inside is a will and testament for Gustav and Elizabeth Durst, which leaves the house, the windmill on the shores of late Bartok and all other estate items to their children Rose and Thorn, the will is dated several hundred years ago.