Continuing their exploration of the Wizard of Wines, the group investigated the upper floor of the winery. They discovered a small kitchen and pantry along with a few bedrooms: a master bedroom with a baby’s cradle in it and a tapestry depicting the Church of St. Andral’s and two smaller bedrooms containing a pair of bunk beds in them. One of the bedrooms was for children and contained a number of toys in them. There was a strange, black rocking horse with flames for a mane and tail. The horse had the name “Beucephalus” on it, and the slogan, “Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!”
At the end of the hallway, they found the last door was ajar. Something was moving noisily inside of the room and things were being tossed around inside. The group approached and saw a wild, mud-caked woman tossing through the cabinets, flanked on either side by creatures made of vines! Lancelot rushed into the room, barking angrily at the creatures, and keeping them at bay. McCoy entered and held aloft the black staff trying to invoke its power to command the vine creatures. They did not respond, so he battered them with his mace instead. From his shoulder, Piddlwick threw darts at the enemy.
The rest of the group closed in to join the attack with the spellcasters lining up in the hallway outside the door to use their frost magic against the vines and Bronwyn invoking eldritch power against them. Riley entered the melee beside Lancelot and Johan delivered the killing blow on the wild woman with his greatsword. The enemy dispatched, the group looked over the room and discovered it was a printing press room where the winery made their bottle labels. Bramo was fascinated by the machinery.
The upper level cleared; the group returned to the ground floor. They checked the only unexplored area, the southern room. Inside they found the glassblowing shop Davian had told them about and stairs leading down to the cellar. The group descended and opened the door to the wine cellar.
Inside was another wild man with a staff and five of the needle covered blights. The room was dark and cold, its ceiling supported by wooden beams with mist covering the floor. Wine racks filled with precious bottles of wine separated the two groups. The group made a point not to damage any of the wine; a point ignored by the wild man leading the blights!
The group poured into the cellar and overwhelmed the blights with their attacks, but not before the wild man shattered a number of wine bottles with a thunderous attack against Riley. The man was quickly dispatched along with the last of the blights, and the group mourned the lost bottles.
Searching through the rest of the cellar, they found it empty and intact. There was something off about the room with the wall between its two sides seeming exceptionally thick. The group searched there and discovered secret door!
Opening the door, a blast of cold air came out of the dark passage. Riley and McCoy lit torches as the group entered the rough-carved tunnel. All along the walls, a thick brown mold was growing. The group covered their mouths as they walked past it, but the mold sprung to life! It reached out toward the torches, spreading along the wall and sucked the heat out the torches and McCoy and Johan! The group quickly retreated as Johan was chilled to the bone and nearly frozen solid. They decided whatever was down that hallway was not worth the risk, but they would tell the Martikovs about it.
The group took a few moments to recover. Elora gave Johan one of the healing potions she’d gotten from Claudia Belasco at the orphanage, and he drank it down gratefully. They also took some time to use their healer’s kits and McCoy indulged in another of Granny’s dream pastries. The cellar secure, they returned to the surface.
The group prepared to take on the horde of blights outside. They went up to the upper floor to get a good view of the outside from the windows there. They spotted one large group of blights at the northeast corner near the stables. Bramo took the black staff from McCoy and tried to concentrate with his thoughts to command the blights to stand down. This was not effective, and he realized that if the staff was magical, he made need to spend some time attuning himself to it before he could use its powers. As he held the staff, tendrils of vines tried to burrow into his hand. He thought the prospect of allowing this staff to bond with him was not a good one.
The group returned to the loading dock to prepare for a long battle against the blights. McCoy told the group they just break the staff. The group looked around and thought that might actually work. They all stood back as McCoy held the staff aloft at the end of the dock and broke it! The staff broke easily in his stone hands and let loose a blood-curling scream as it dissolved into ashes! So too did all of the blights in the vicinity disintegrate into ash. The group let out a sigh of relief at the tough battle avoided.
They returned to the Martikovs who were happily waiting for them. Davian asked if the job was done, and Johan told them that it was, earning a hearty embrace from the man. Davian led the group back with his family to winery to pay them for their services. As they departed, the group noticed a large number of ravens taking flight from the trees where the Martikovs had camped. They asked Davian about it, and he explained that they were the symbol of his family and that ravens were considered lucky.
The family looked over the carnage inside of their home and concluded that it was not as bad as they’d expected. Davian was quite surprised that the place had not been burned down and begrudgingly admitted his son Adrian has won their bet.
The group settled into the kitchen while Davian retrieved their reward from one of the bedrooms. He returned and handed Johan a sack containing four precious gems he assured them were worth 50 gold pieces each. The group debated returning the money to the family to allow them to rebuild, but Davian insisted that they honor their original agreement and the group be paid for their help.
The group gave Davian the bad news about the spoiled wine. He was quite upset, but they assured him they could undo the poisoning. Davian told them it was impossible as an antitoxin would spoil the taste of the wine! But Johan told him he would need no antitoxin and would use the purifying magic of his goddess Lavina to do it. Davian was overjoyed taking Johan’s holy symbol in his hands and praising his goddess for her help.
Johan told him he would need some time to rest before he could call upon his goddess, but that he would be able to do it first thing in the morning. Davian told the group that they were all welcome to stay the night at the winery and any time they should need shelter. He explained it was much too dangerous for them to travel on the night of the full moon. Johan asked if that was because of werewolves in the area, and Davian explained that it was. Werewolves were a danger Barovia had been dealing with for a long time.
While the group sat and talked and drank wine with the Martikovs, they asked about the wine and why it was no longer possible to make the Champagne du Stomp or now even the Red Dragon Crush. Davian told them he was willing to share his family’s secret with them.
Long ago, the ancestors of the founders of the winery, who his family had married into, were devout followers of the Three Ladies Fair, ancient nature spirits of the land of Barovia, who were practically gods, long before the land was known as Barovia. This family had been blessed by the Ladies with three magical gemstones, each the size of a pinecone and glowing with a green light. The gemstones were hearts of life which promoted life and growth allowing plants to flourish and grant bountiful harvests. When planted in their fields, the vineyard grew strong and produced grapes of exceptional quality for their wines. Even now, under the perpetually gray skies of Barovia, the vineyard was able to prosper.
With the power of all three gemstones, the vineyard could produce the grapes necessary to make the Champagne du Stomp, with two, they could produce the Red Dragon Crush, and with only one, they could produce the Grapemash No. 3. With no gems, the vineyard would wither and die under the harsh conditions.
Davian explained that the first of these gems was stolen 10 years ago. One of his sons had been on watch duty that night and allowed it to be stolen! He could not explain how the theft had taken place and Davian had disowned the boy. The group asked if this was Urwin and Davian told them not to speak that name in his presence! The loss of the gem prevented them from making any more of the Champagne du Stomp, making it a rare vintage.
Now, 3 weeks ago, a second gem was stolen! Someone had crept through their fields and run off with it. The family tracked the thief south towards the lost village of Berez, but the place is cursed and dangerous, and they were forced to turn back. Now they can only produce the Grapemash No. 3, an unremarkable wine, but at least it is something. Bramo noted that was fine as the Grapemash was his favorite, but Bronwyn was heartbroken over the loss of the Red Dragon Crush and everyone was curious about what the Champagne must have tasted like.
Just as Davian finished his story, his grandson ran in with the horrible news that the third gem had been stolen! The Martikov’s were crushed, denouncing their fate and saying the efforts of the group had been for naught. Davian asked for a dagger from the group so he could slit his throat right there! The group calmed them down and asked them not to take any drastic action. They asked what had happened to the gem and offered to track it down for them.
The family was overjoyed. Davian explained that the Wild Folk must have stolen it when they took over their land. The gem must have been dragged back to their strange gathering at the peak of Yester Hill for some unknown purpose. It would be dangerous to retrieve it from them as hill was a tall peak with spiraling tiers of ancient burial grounds all around it. It must be covered in Wild Folk and their blights. But if the group could return the gems, the Martikovs would be eternally grateful. It would save not only their family and livelihood, but all of Barovia who depended on the wine to get through their dreary existence here.
The group also offered to track down the other gemstones as well. Davian laughed and praised them for their boasting and confidence. He said they should focus on one gemstone first and take it from there. If they got at least one gem, then the vineyard would survive. Otherwise, it would all be withered away within 5 days. The group understood and said they would take care of it.
Davian revealed another secret to the group, now that their fates were so intertwined. He told them that he knew they were the enemies of the Devil Strahd, and that his family too was opposed to him. Their family operated an information network all throughout Barovia gathering intelligence about the movements, motivations, and secrets of different people and factions all with the goal of opposing Strahd and helping the people of Barovia. They wished to ally with the group, and if they could return one of the gems and save the winery, they would put the full force and resources of their organization behind them.
The group was interested in this alliance and said they would definitely help retrieve the gems starting with Yester Hill. Johan asked if they might share some information with them regarding the werewolves. He explained that his son had been taken by them a week ago, and he was desperate to get them back. He wondered if they knew where their lair was. Davian and his son Adrian shared a look. Davian explained that normally he would withhold that information to make sure they followed through on their promise about the gemstones, but he trusted them, and he couldn’t stand the thought of one of his own children being missing like that.
They explained that given how long his son was missing, his prospects weren’t good. Johan understood, but he still had to try. They agreed and told him that the hunting grounds of the wolves were in the woods and hills near Krezk to the north and that their lair was somewhere in the mountains between Krezk and Vallaki. Johan confirmed this information aligned with what he had learned and noted the area described on Ismark’s map.
The group also asked about Granny and the Old Windmill. They asked if there were some sort of rivalry or something between them and the Martikovs. Davian told the group stay away from that place and have no business with those women, for they were no women at all, but evil hags! They hexed, charmed, and bedeviled people! They were known to steal and devour children! The group was disturbed by this information and made no mention of their association with the women or their pies.
McCoy also took a moment to take Davian aside and tell him about the brown mold they discovered in their cellar. Davian laughed and told him that he knew about it. It had been placed there intentionally in order to chill their wine cellar. McCoy relayed their misadventure with the mold and Davian told him he would head down and take care of it to make sure the mold didn’t grow out of control and freeze his wine!
After a meal and some discussion, the group was given one of the bedrooms with a pair of bunk beds while the Martikovs doubled up in the other bedrooms. They all settled in for the night, leery of any dream pastries except for McCoy who indulged in another pie. Lancelot had also eaten one earlier that day and slept soundly and sweetly. McCoy’s thoughts drifted during his inactive period and he had memories of times at sea working as a carpenter building and repairing anything needed by the crew. He recalled all the many ports he had been to all over his world and the sights and sounds of these places, but still could not place the names of his ship or crew.
The rest of the group slept poorly. They were plagued by restlessness and bad dreams; each of them haunted by nightmares. They woke screaming and sweating in the middle of the night barely eking out the rest they desperately needed.
In the morning, McCoy rose delighted and cooked breakfast for everyone along with Lancelot, patting the dog and feeding him bacon as they both felt happy and refreshed. Johan prayed to his goddess and used her power to purify the poisoned wine vats for the Martikovs. The group prepared to head out southwest towards Yester Hill and retrieve the first of the gemstones.
The Martikovs loaded up their prepared wagon with wine for a shipment to the Blue Water Inn in Vallaki. They asked the group to accompany the shipment along the dangerous roads and see that it was delivered safely. The group debated whether they should spend the time to go with the shipment or head directly to Yester Hill before the vineyard withered. They decided it was best to protect the wine shipment and then return with the wagon on their way to Yester Hill later that day. Vallaki was only a few hours away, so they would still have time.
The group rode out to Vallaki along with Davian’s youngest son Elvir and Stefania’s husband Dag Tomascu. The ride to Vallaki was uneventful, and they were rushed through the gates with no trouble by the guards. Heading over to the Blue Water Inn, they were greeted warmly by Urwin who embraced Johan and kissed him on his cheeks. As promised, the group was granted free room and board whenever they required it, and they were invited to stay for lunch. Trying not to waste time, the group took their food to go.
While they were in town, the group wanted to get some shopping done. Elora and Bronwyn wanted to pick up a doll for Arrabelle, McCoy and Johan wanted to get some rope and pitons, and Bramo needed to locate an arcane rod somewhere. They got some directions from Dag Tomascu to Blinsky’s Toys at the center or town, and he also told them about a local hedge witch named Jeny. Jeny operated out of a small hut outside the town limits on the edge of the forest. He told them to head out the east gate, then head north, and follow the edge of the forest northeast until they spotted the green hut. She could provide them with whatever arcane items and services they needed.
The group thanked Dag and head downtown to Blinsky’s Toys. The shop was cramped with a rocking horse-shaped sign out front with a “B” emblazoned on it. Inside were numerous toys on display with the slogan, “Is No Fun, Is No Blinsky!” They entered and met the proprietor, a rotund man with a beard in a tattered jester’s outfit. On his shoulder perched a small, brown monkey with a white face dressed in a tutu.
The man identified himself as Gadof Blinsky and his money companion as Piccolo. He gave a practiced sales pitch to them and asked how he could help them. Bronwyn told him she was looking for a doll for a little girl, and Blinsky began showing her his stock. All of his toys had a macabre or creepy look to them with a functional gallows, flapping bats, snarling wolves, and a puppet that looked like Strahd. The group was disturbed by these toys and annoyed that they couldn’t get a normal toy out of him.
Finally, he showed them one normal looking doll, a porcelain doll in a conservative dress with fine lace that looked exactly like Bronwyn. She asked him about the doll, and he told her it was a custom order that he couldn’t sell to her. She asked him why it looked like her and why Blinsky thought he recognized her earlier. He wasn’t convinced of the resemblance, but he conceded that they looked similar and tried to sell her another doll. Bronwyn got aggressive with the man and seized him by his costume, fire burning in her eyes as she demanded to know who had commissioned this doll from him.
Terrified, Blinsky relented and told her it was a dangerous man who had demanded the dolls from him. His name was Izek Strazni, the Baron’s right-hand man and captain of the guard. He was a cruel, giant of a man with a demonic arm that shot fire out of it! Every month he came and demanded a new doll to his exact specifications or threatened to burn the toy shop to the ground. Bronwyn demanded to buy the doll, but Blinsky pleaded with her not to take it for fear of Izek’s wrath. They told him he could just make another doll for Izek, and they would take this one. Blinsky insisted that the craftsmanship involved would take too long, and there was no way it would be ready in time; they were dooming him!
The group had little sympathy for the man. Blinsky began crying that all he wanted to do was make the world a better place and make people happy with his toys. But everyone hated his toys. They told him that was because his toys were creepy, but Blinsky thought they were cute. He talked about studying under his mentor, the great inventor Fritz von Weerg, and how he aspired to be just like him and do great innovative work. With the mention of his mentor, he noticed Piddlwick for the first time calling out that he knew the doll! McCoy asked Piddlwick if he knew the man, but he shook his head “no.” Blinsky explained that he recognized the design! This was his mentor’s finest creation, a masterpiece of clockwork construction! He offered any price for him including offering his monkey Piccolo.
McCoy refused and offered to rescue Piccolo from this man, but the monkey was not interested. He asked Piddlwick if he wanted to stay with this man, but the doll shook his head “no.” *jing-jing* McCoy asked if he wanted the toy gallows, and the doll nodded “yes.” *jing* McCoy purchased the item for a few copper pieces.
Eventually the group relented and allowed Blinsky to keep his doll. Instead, Elora ordered a custom doll to her specifications for Arrabelle. Blinsky accepted her order and told her it would be ready in a few days. After considering burning down his shop themselves, the group finally departed, leaving Blinsky in peace.
The group left town out the East gate and followed Dag’s directions until they reached a green hut at the edge of the woods. The tiny hut was covered in vines with a dirt floor. It was not advertised as a shop but was clearly a place people in the know would frequent when necessary. The inside of the hut was crammed with shelves holding trinkets, jars, boxes, charms, and other assorted items. Herbs hung from the ceiling along with other strange ingredients. Behind the counter was an attractive woman in a skimpy outfit looking something like a green-skinned elf. She had long, green, wispy hair and two long, antlers sprung from her head like branches with moss and vines covering them. Her eyes were yellow snake eyes, and she wore many talismans, earrings, armbands, and bracelets.
She greeted them as Old Jeny Greenteeth, purveyor of all manner of arcane concoctions. She asked the group to come and take a look at her goods. Johan told her it was hard to miss “her goods” in the outfit she was wearing. Jeny told him he looked like a lonely, old man who had not lain with a woman in some time and offered to sell him a love potion. Johan politely declined.
Jeny had many arcane, alchemical, and herbal supplies available for sale including a large selection of potions. The group noted she was selling healing kits at a reasonable price and bought out her stock. They also noticed she offered some spellcasting services all of which listed a price in gold, but also included a “favor” for Jeny. They asked her what these favors entailed, and Jeny told her they were all small things, nothing major, and nothing they wouldn’t be able to live without. The group was dubious of this claim.
Looking through the spell components for sale, Elora inquired about a pearl she needed for a spell. Jeny offered to sell it to her for 230 gold pieces, but the price was too high for Elora. Jeny told her she would reduce the price to 150 gold pieces if she did her a favor as well. Elora thought the price too high even with the discount. Jeny told her she was sure she could put together the money if it was important enough to her. She asked if she had anything valuable in trade.
The group showed her the unicorn rug they’d received from the Vistani. Jeny was impressed and said she would buy the rug from them for 750 gold pieces, but only if Elora accepted her offer for the pearl. The group was anxious to exchange the rug for gold and encouraged Elora to accept. Elora asked what the favor would be and Jeny told her she would have to let her permanently change the color of Elora’s hair with magic. The group seemed to think this wasn’t a big deal, but Elora refused saying the cost was too dear. The group didn’t seem to understand why it was so important to Elora, but she explained that her hair was her mother’s hair, and she wouldn’t allow it to be changed. The group accepted her explanation.
Bramo did not see any magical rods for sale, but Jeny said she could procure one for him for 15 gold pieces…and a favor. Bramo was interest and asked what the favor was. She told him to bring her a small white puppy, a large brown cat, and an aged rooster to use for spell components. All of them had to be alive. When he did that, she would sell him the rod. Bramo took note of the requirements and agreed, saying he would return with the requested items.
The group departed and returned to Vallaki heading to Arasek’s Stockyard to pick up the final items on their list. Afterwards, they planned to meet up with Elvir and Dag and make the return trip back to the Wizard of Wines. As they left the stockyard with their purchases, the group was approached by a strange man. He was a skinny man in a tight-fitting suit with his shirt buttoned up to his throat. His hair and beard were neatly brushed and trimmed, and he had beady, little eyes. He introduced himself as Ernst Larnak, a courier for “certain individuals of importance.” He had a missive he was instructed to deliver into their hands directly.
Bronwyn accepted the letter from the man, and he departed with a bow. She opened the letter and read it to the group. It was a dinner invitation for that evening…from Strahd von Zarovich! The letter was a welcome to Barovia and a reminder that only he could allow them to leave again. They were invited to dinner at Castle Ravenloft to meet in “civilized surroundings.” Strahd guaranteed them safe passage to his home as well for the duration of their stay.
The group was in an uproar! They immediately canceled all of their plans to deal with this development. Yester Hill would have to wait! They discussed the matter in a fervor, convinced that to refuse the invitation would be an insult to the man and a death sentence for them. They discussed whether or not Ireena should be brought with him. They thought it was a bad idea to bring her and Elora, but also not bringing them would risk his wrath.
Their encounter with Rahasia was still fresh in their minds, and they were concerned she might still be holding a grudge against them. They decided that they will all attend. They had no choice, but to do as he asked, and they would all have to dress the part with some nicer clothes.
Johan brought up a point about their weapons and armor, should they be worn in the castle, and if not, who did they trust to hold on to them? Father Petrovich? Urwin Martikov? The Vistani?
The decided to head back to the Blue Water Inn, let Elvir and Dag know that their plans had changed, and speak to Urwin while they had the chance. They sat Urwin down to talk to him about the incident of the first gemstone’s theft 10 years ago. Urwin agreed to discuss it with them, since he knew of their promise to track down the missing gemstones but told them it was a matter to be discussed in private. He took them in the back of the inn to a small kitchen where they could talk.
Urwin was reluctant to tell his tale, but Johan persuaded him to open up, promising to keep an open mind and listen to whatever he had to say. Urwin agreed. He told them that at the time, he was a young man. He had no children at that time and was only newly married to his wife Danika. He was a little foolish and a little careless, a less responsible man to be sure, but not negligent in his duties. On the night in question, he had indulged in some wine as is to be expected when living and working in a winery. He was on guard-duty watching over the vineyard when something unbelievable happened.
Descended from the heavens to land in the fields was a beautiful being of glowing light that came down on a beam of sunshine so bright, he had never seen its like in his life. It pierced through the night like a dagger and down floated a glowing, gold figure with beautiful white wings, an angel! This creature was stunningly beautiful and Urwin stood dumbstruck at the sight of it. The angel soothed him and calmed his fears.
The angel walked out to the fields and the plants reached out to touch it, sparkling and glowing with its light. The earth opened up, and the gemstone floated out into the angel’s hand. Without a word, the angel shot up into the sky like a streaking comet and flew away with the gem towards the West.
Urwin told the group that he regaled his family and others with that same story over the years, but no one had ever believed him. They all thought he was drunk or dreaming or had imagined it or was simply lying. He said his father believed he had betrayed him and had a secret vineyard growing under the inn!
Johan told Urwin that he believed him, and McCoy made careful note of the direction the angel flew.
Curse of Ravenloft 