Within the dimly lit, cobweb-strewn corridors of Castle Ravenloft, the air was thick with the scent of ancient dust and the whispers of long-dead secrets. Elora the Majestic, Maledurk, Grestkrendreghk Elassayl Thorn (known simply as Thorn), and Tempest had traversed the land of Barovia, their steps leading them to the lair of Strahd von Zarovich, the vampire lord whose reign of terror had shadowed the land for centuries. Their quest was clear: to find Strahd himself and put an end to his malevolent rule.

Their journey through the castle had been one of both wonder and horror, unveiling mysteries hidden within its walls. It was in the dining hall where they first encountered Pidlwick, an apparition dressed as a jester, who, though unable to directly assist them against Strahd, hinted at his tomb in the crypt below as a place of potential aid. The dining hall, with its wedding cake indicating a celebration that never came to be, held secrets of its own. Attempts to summon other apparitions by occupying different seats proved futile, only succeeding in stirring the dust that lay thick upon ancient furniture.

Exploring further, they stumbled upon a bathroom with a tub filled with what appeared to be blood. Upon closer examination, the substance behaved more like colored water, lacking the expected odor of blood. From this unsettling discovery emerged a thin, bony creature with stringy hair, its scream piercing the silence, deafening Tempset and Thorn temporarily before it fled through an archway.

The group debated the nature of their encounter, considering various spells that might aid them, yet none seemed quite right for the situation. Their exploration led them to a large walk-in closet, filled with capes and formal suits, all meticulously arranged yet devoid of the creature’s presence. The absence of the creature and the room’s apparent lack of exits puzzled them, leading to speculation of hidden passages or magical means of disappearance.

Returning to the bathtub, now filled with seemingly ordinary water, they stirred its contents, hoping for a clue, but found nothing. The well-maintained state of most areas, except for the dining room, suggested either the presence of servants or magical upkeep, a thought that lingered as they found a secret door in the bedroom, possibly once belonging to Strahd before his transformation.

Their exploration led them through a dusty corridor and back to previously explored areas, with each new door revealing further mysteries of Castle Ravenloft. A dark spiral staircase beckoned them downward, while humanoid figures in alcoves turned out to be composed of rats that scattered upon approach. The disappearance of a southern door, replaced by a flood of rats diving into the floorboards, added to the castle’s enigmatic charm.

Amidst their explorations, they encountered a magical rug in a tower, which attacked by ensnaring one of their number. A desperate struggle ensued, with the rug eventually transformed into a flea through the use of a Polymorph spell, albeit triggering a wild magic effect that left Tempest feeling ill.

As the day’s events unfolded, the intensity and duration of their adventure within the confines of Castle Ravenloft became a subject of disbelief among them. The venture through the castle’s myriad secrets and dangers had taken its toll, leaving them exhausted yet determined to continue their quest to confront Strahd von Zarovich. As they prepared to conclude their session, they reflected on the day, acknowledging the challenges faced and the mysteries yet to unravel within the shadows of Castle Ravenloft.

Notes
  • The session begins with a casual conversation about someone named Brian’s mother, who is preparing food for an afternoon event where they plan to watch the 49er game at the richest house.
  • The game’s timing is discussed, with some uncertainty about the exact start time, but it’s speculated to be around 1 pm Pacific time due to it being a playoff game.
  • The conversation shifts to the technology used for recording and transcribing the game sessions, with Brian explaining that the sessions are recorded and then transcribed for AI to analyze and summarize.
  • There’s a discussion about the accuracy and usefulness of the AI-generated summaries, comparing them favorably to TV series recaps because they provide a detailed account of events.
  • The conversation then moves to a personal story about a friend who has undergone a series of brain surgeries due to an accident and a nerve disorder that affected his ability to play music. The surgeries involved implanting a device to stabilize his hands, allowing him to play instruments again.
  • The group jokes about implanting chips (including a potato chip) in their brains to enhance their abilities or to allow AI to play the game for them, suggesting a future where the game could be played and summarized without their direct involvement.
  • The discussion transitions to a birthday party for someone named Shannon, involving tubing down an artificial snow hill, reminiscing about similar past experiences in Mountain View and Sunnyvale.
  • The conversation covers the local community’s reaction to kids using a golf course for sledding and snowboarding, highlighting the tension between the enjoyment of the activity and the disruption it causes.
  • The session ends with a discussion about trampoline parks and the prevalence of trampolines in residential areas, with a humorous reference to Superman’s ability to leap over tall buildings.
  • The conversation begins with a discussion about a first edition Superman comic that is an oversized replica, not sellable as the original.
  • The group reminisces about a previous gathering where everyone had a glass of something, and there was a mention of cupcakes and singing “Happy Birthday” on a hill.
  • A birthday dinner for a family member was held close to her actual birthday due to difficulties coordinating around the holidays.
  • Shannon experiences technical issues with her laptop, which is undergoing multiple reboots and updates, delaying her participation in the game.
  • The group recalls their last session where they explored a tower, found treasure including healing potions and a shield, and encountered a situation involving vinegar and noses.
  • An apparition named Pidlwick, dressed as a jester, appears when a player character sits at the head of a dining table in Castle Ravenloft. Pidlwick reveals he cannot help directly against Strahd but suggests his tomb in the crypt below might contain something useful.
  • The group discovers a dining hall with a wedding cake indicating a wedding dinner that never happened. The loot and harp in the room are noted for their condition, and an attempt to play them results in poor performance.
  • The players explore the possibility of summoning other apparitions by sitting in different chairs but only succeed in raising dust.
  • The group decides to leave the dining room, exploring other parts of Castle Ravenloft, including a bathroom with a tub filled with what appears to be blood.
  • An investigation reveals the “blood” might not be real as there is no smell, and when disturbed, it behaves more like colored water.
  • A creature, described as thin, bony, and pale, with stringy hair, emerges from the tub, screams, and then escapes through an archway. The scream temporarily deafens two of the player characters.
  • The session ends with the group contemplating whether to pursue the creature or not, noting that the scream did not affect all of them equally.
  • The group discusses the effectiveness of various spells to help with their current situation, considering “Heal Wounds,” “Lesser Restoration,” and “Dispel Magic,” but ultimately find none of them suitable.
  • They speculate on why they were not affected by a certain event, joking about eye color differences.
  • The group encounters a creature that stops screaming and scuttles off into another room, leading them to investigate further.
  • Maledurk suggests looking through a curtain to see where the creature went, revealing a large walk-in closet without the creature in sight.
  • The closet contains a hanging rod with many capes and formal suits, all appearing to be the same and meticulously arranged.
  • The group notes the absence of the creature and checks the room for exits, finding windows covered with drapes and no other apparent exits besides the way they came in.
  • They speculate on the creature’s disappearance, considering the possibility of a hidden exit or magic.
  • The group returns to a bathtub filled with what now appears to be regular water, stirring it to see if anything happens but finding nothing unusual.
  • They discuss the architecture of the closet and bath chamber, suspecting a hidden space in the walls but find no access to it.
  • The group counts 28 capes and 16 formal suits in the closet, joking about the excessive number of capes.
  • They explore further, finding a bedroom with a large bed and clean linens, speculating it might have been Strahd’s before he became a vampire.
  • The bedroom and other areas, except for a dining room, appear well-maintained, suggesting the presence of servants or magical upkeep.
  • They find a secret door in the bedroom leading to a dusty corridor and back to a previously explored area, deciding to explore more doors and the exterior parapet.
  • Opening a new door reveals a dark spiral staircase going down, which they plan to investigate.
  • Another room contains two alcoves with humanoid figures that are difficult to discern from the doorway.
  • Upon closer inspection, one of the figures turns out to be composed of rats that scatter upon being approached.
  • The group’s interactions are interspersed with speculation about the castle’s history, Strahd’s backstory, and the nature of the creature they encountered.
  • The party notices that the southern door has disappeared, and dozens of rats rush out from where it was, disappearing into the floorboards.
  • A player searches the walls for clues but finds nothing except a door at the end of the hall with an intricate engraving of a man in armor on a horse, set against a countryside backdrop with mountains, shooting stars, and figures that could be large dogs or wolves.
  • The engraving is discussed as possibly depicting the Baron in his younger years, suggesting he might have had a normal life before becoming a vampire.
  • The party recalls finding the tombs of King Barov von Zarovich and Queen Ravenovia von Royen in the castle, suggesting a connection between the Baron and these figures, possibly as their son.
  • The group debates the history of the castle and its inhabitants, concluding that the castle likely passed to Strahd (the Baron) as the heir after the king and queen’s deaths.
  • The party decides to explore further, considering going down a spiral staircase but ultimately deciding to check the parapet first.
  • On the parapet, they find another spiral staircase leading down, named the “Stairs of Weeping,” and speculate about its significance.
  • The group then decides to explore the tower, where they encounter a magical rug that attacks by wrapping around a player, causing them to struggle for breath.
  • The party attempts to free the trapped player, with one character using a knife to cut the rug and another using a dagger, accidentally causing damage to the trapped player.
  • A spell (Polymorph) is successfully used to turn the rug into a flea, freeing the trapped player but triggering a wild magic effect that makes the caster feel very sick.
  • The session ends with the party expressing exhaustion and disbelief that all the day’s events have occurred within the same day, highlighting the intensity and duration of their adventure in Castle Ravenloft.
  • The session appears to conclude around lunchtime, with a player mentioning their coffee is starting to wear off.
  • The group decides to address an unspecified issue in their next session.
  • There is a humorous exchange about the players’ avatars not having their preferred colors, but they acknowledge they at least have the right colors.
  • A player mentions having a hat, which leads to a brief, lighthearted confusion and a joke about being invisible in the stands.
  • The session ends with the players saying their goodbyes, indicating the conclusion of the game for the day.